A:CG Original
by Uncertain-Angel
Summary: AU OFC. See Aioka: A Career Genin for the rewrite!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** : Welcome to my very first Naruto Fic.

First and foremost: Many elements in this story have been inspired and influenced by VixenTail's _Deja vu no jutsu_ and  Hermionechan90's _Inoue Shiori_. I have asked both authors for permission.

This is my attempt at flushing out my own character and doing world building. Any and all constructive criticism/reviews are welcomed and very my desired. Also this is not (by any means) the final draft of this story. I have 90% of this written out...in literally six notebooks. So this is me compiling it, getting feed back, and planning on make an awesome book.

Um, not sure what else to say. I'm not one for author notes. Any suggestions what I should put in them? Or if I need them at all?

P.S. I am not male, am not Japanese, and do not own Naruto.

 **...**

 **Aioka**

Human nature is an unusual thing. It leans equally toward good and evil and is capable of twisting either to be seen in the opposite light. Human nature says to protect and comfort children but human nature also says to place blame on anyone or anything else accept oneself.

During the Clan Wars, clans blame other clans for the faults of the world, ignoring the fact that they themselves contributed to said faults. Villages in times of peace blamed each other and their ruling lord/kage/daimyo for their lack of security and comfort. So, in a similar line of thought, villages blamed children for the faults of their parents. Such children either died quickly, fell into hatred, or left.

Shojikina Aioka chose to leave.

She was born and grew up in a small village in Tsuchi no Kuni (Land of Earth) called Gankona hokori (stubborn pride). Pride and arrogance was almost a natural trait citizens of Tsuchi no Kuni and that led to embitterment when the people felt dishonored. Shojikina Choi had been the pride of Gankon hokori, as one of the few villagers to ever become a Jonin for Iwagakure; but soon after became the villages shame, when the man became a missing nin for attempting to assassinate the Tsuchikage's son. When news reached the village the citizens took their disgrace and anger out on Choi's wife and five year old daughter. Aioka's kaa-san died in the initial attack but the young child, who had been subject to her father's abuse when he visited, survived. For five years she stayed in the village, struggling to survive the hate and abuse. Three times her father returned, three times he taught her something, and three times he almost killed her. She learned her lessons well. 1). Never reveal your chakra signature, 2). always strive to increase your chakra reserves, and 3). knowledge is power.

The decision to leave was not a sudden one for the ten year old. It was a calculated choice. To the best of her ability she had gone over her options of surviving pass her eleventh birthday. If she stayed she knew she would continue to be exposed to physical and mental abuse and would most definitely die. If she left she could die but had a higher chance of finding a safer place to live.

Most ten year old girls were learning skills potential husbands would expect of them, Aioka knew none and also knew no one here would willingly marry her. Who would marry the child of one who brought them dishonor?

A soft snort was lost in desolate maze of boulders that backed the village. _It's not my fault tou-san chose his path,_ the girl thought sourly. _Besides_ , lips curled in distaste, _I don't want to marry anyone here anyways._ With a rough shake that tossed tangle black locks into the air, the child carefully finished packing her stolen goods. There was food enough to last her a few days, a few rusted kunai, and a pair of boys trousers and a shirt. The clothing would be loose on her due to her emaciated state but they would cover her. She had a long journey ahead of her.

Slinging the bundle onto her back the child left the village for the first time in her young life. The road before her would be a long and tiring one.

In her time on her own she learned several things about herself. She could feel/see/sense people, animals, and plants. That skill was a double edge blade for her. At times the amount of information she picked up was overwhelming and caused her nose and ears to bleed. Other times, when she managed to figure out a way to dampen the incoming information, it was very useful by allowing her to move in darkness and avoid people/animals on the road.

Another thing Aioka learned about herself, was her compassion. She could not bear to see a person treated as she had and did what she could to help them. Most of the time there was nothing she could do but give them a kind smile and a bit of food but one a few occasions she was able to teach them so survival skills she had picked up.

By the time she reached Konohagakure, the girl knew she wanted to do something to protect people. She just didn't know what.

 **A:CG**

The day was a miserable one for anyone who had the misfortune of leaving the shade. It was hot, humid, and very still. The guards of the western gate of Konohagakure grumbled at the weather and the utter boredom they shared. Both tossed kunai idly at a target not far from them, occasionally scanning the road and forest before them.

"We probably won't see anyone until the sun starts going down, kami it's going to be a long day."

Suboru Bokka 'hmmed' an acknowledgement to his fellow chunin as he scanned the forest.

"Hyuuga Kyosu was released from the hospital yesterday. Are there any still physically recovering in the hospital from the Kyuubi attack?"

Bokka stretched his senses toward a patch of trees. Was the heat playing tricks on him or was that someone in the shadows? "Not sure," he caught his partners' eye and signed, _Possible danger. Tree Line._

Beside him the other chunin tensed slightly. _What is it?_

 _Not sure._

The two fell silent as they covertly searched for threats, continuing their banter and gossip that hide a secondary form of communication between them. They were just about to relax when movement in the shadows caught their eyes. Brown and grey eyes blinked a few times to make sure they really were seeing what was walking toward them, with the caution of a cat approaching a sleeping dog. It was a child. One that seemed to have never had a proper bath or apparel. Rags hung loosely on bony but proud shoulder, and had gaping tears did nothing to camouflage the protruding ribs that gave the child a very appalling appearance.

It took both a moment to realize that they could not sense a chakra signature from the kid.

"I don't like this," Bokka murmured. As shinobi, they relied on signatures to identify people and gauge their moods. Signatures were also another form of communication in the shinobi world. The invisible energy flickered in its own way that shinobi could read just like body language. Not being able to sense a signature made the men vastly uneasy.

When the child was within easy hearing distance but far enough away to prevent an attack Bokka called for the kid to stop and show her signature before coming any closer.

The child paused, a look of unease flitting over the dirty face. "Will you let me speak if I do?"

The question held real concern and suspicion in it, causing the chunin to wonder what made her assume showing her signature would end in them preventing her from speaking. Though if that was her thought pattern it would explain why a child of less than twelve could hide their signature to the point of utter invisibility. A feat that only a few shinobi accomplished.

It was common knowledge that Konoha gate guards will always hear someone out before turning them away. Even after the recent kyubi attack two years ago. However, they were far more cautious than before due to their weakened state.

"Easy kid, we just want to sense your intentions. Hiding your signature like you are is very impolite when talking to shinobi," Bokka explained gently. He would treat the kid as if he was one but would watch him as if he were a threat. Because with the skill at hiding he was displaying, it wasn't too far fetched to assume he was a ninja or had extensive ninja training.

The kid seemed puzzled by that but nodded and seemed to concentrate. Bokka relaxed slightly when he felt a new signature blossom into existence. From what he felt the kid was calm but uncomfortable, and tired.

"Thank you, now what can we do for you?"

"Can I live here?" The kid asked hopefully.

Bokka blinked, glanced at his partner, then looked back at the kid. "Um, where are your parents' kid?"

"Kaa-san died when I was five. I don't know where my," an expression of distaste flickered over dirty features, "tou-san is. I haven't seen him in almost three years."

"Come into the shade kid, I can't promise you'll be granted citizenship but we'll let you at least get cleaned up and have something to eat."

Bokka nodded at his teammates words and smiled slightly as the skeletal child approached while mentally he was cursing up a storm at the utter malnutrition the kid had suffered.

"What's your name gaki?"

The kid sank to the ground next to them, a heavy and weary sigh leaving him. "Shojikina Aioka, Shinobi-san."

The chunin started and reevaluated the child. They had assumed she was a boy but in the state she was in it wasn't surprising that they mistook her gender.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Suboru Bokka-chunin and this is my teammate, Dyokii Zusa-chunin."

The girl gave them a small smile. "I've heard a lot about Konohagakure. Is it as good to it's citizens as people say?"

Bokka and Zusa smiled at the hopeful inquiry though both were a little nonplussed that the girl would come here without confirming rumors, but they supposed they couldn't expect a child to be so cautious.

"The citizens here are well protected here. Our Kage allows them to live as they wish so long as it isn't harming the village as a whole," Zusa answered offering the girl some water.

The child took it gratefully but tested its' scent before drinking. The action was noted by both men, it spoke of caution that a civilian child shouldn't know.

Aioka passed the bottle back with a murmured thanks. It had been a while since she had clean water.

"Where you from, Shojikina-san?" Zusa inquired curiously. Her features were not native to Hi no Kuni. Even with starvation masking her structure he could see that.

The girl grimaced. "Tsuchi no Kuni. I lived north west of Iwagakure in a village called Gankona Hokori."

"That,"Bokka said slowly and with a little disbelief, "is a long way from here."

Aioka gave a look that showed deep weariness, hunger, and struggle. "Hai, I left there a little more than two years ago."

While they waited for someone from the immigration's office to come to them (ANBU were stationed at every gate) the trio talked. Aioka learning about Konoha and the chunin learning the surface of how difficult the girl's life had been so far.

Soon the two men were watching the emaciated girl follow another Chunin with mixed impressions. "Either she is going to be an asset to Konoha, or dead as a spy," Bokka commented.

Dyokii Zusa slouched against the wall carelessly. "Wouldn't be the first, but likely the youngest. She couldn't have been more than ten."

Both chunin cast the disappearing form a curious glance before returning their attention to the world outside the gate.

 **A:CG**

Aioka couldn't help but stare at everything she passed. While she had been in many villages between here and her birth village, she had never seen one where the citizens were so utterly content. Even though she knew Konohagakure had endured the loss of their Yondaime and a large portion of its populace to the Kyubi attack, the air of peace was foreign and strange to her.

"Where are you from Shojikina-san?"

Aioka twitched at the unexpected inquiry from her escort/observer and gave him a sheepish look when her signature faltered. After so long of suppressing it, it was extremely uncomfortable and difficult to project. "Tsuchi no Kuni. I lived north west of Iwagakure in a village called Gankona Hokori. I'm an orphan as far as they and myself care."

The konoha chunin glanced down at the dirty child. "Oh? A parent lives but you do not wish to claim?"

A flicker of a smile tilted her cracked lips. "Yes, shinobi-san, he is a nuke-nin now."

The chunin 'hmmed' at her words, tucking that information away. "What do you plan on doing after your acceptance?"

"Take a bath."

The chunin gave a startled laugh at the determined tone the girl took. "Ah, will you look for work?"

Aioka shrugged. "I will have to if I cannot join the genin corp."

Again the chunin was surprised by her answer. That was probably a first. The genin corp was the lowest ranked division of shinobi. They did the D-ranks, which varied from fetching groceries for citizens to collecting weapons off training grounds or running missives in village for chunin and above. It wasn't a position anyone wanted.

The duo chatted about various things as they walked. Their topics ranging from Aioka's life to what foods were that Aioka had never seen before. The conversation allowed the chunin to evaluate the girl's personality and threat level. Much to the chunin's frustration he got conflicting views. On one hand the girl had an unnerving tendency of vanishing from his chakra senses, suggesting she had ANBU level stealth skills, but on the other she had such honest bewilderment about common foods or practices that it almost negated his impressions. Deciding it would be best to let the immigration officers judge her he explained the situation to the Immigration's Officer on duty after the girl was taken for an examination by the medic-nin.

The Officer observed the child when the medic-nin showed her into his office. The description the Chunnin had given him did little to dampen the shock of the girl's physical state, and judging by the tight smile the medic-nin gave him when handing the hasty file she made the child was worse than she looked.

"Can you read or write Aioka-san?" The officer asked, making note of the unease the girl had sitting across from him and how her chakra signature flickered in and out of existence like the Chunnin mentioned.

"No, shinobi-san, I can count and put numbers together and take numbers apart though," she answered, eyes skittering around the office warily.

"Then I will read the forms out loud and write your answers for you. Is this acceptable?"

The girl nodded then hesitated, her eyes flickering toward the open door just out of her line of sight nervously. "M-may I have something to drink? I haven't had clean water since the last village. Other than the sip Suboru-chunin-san gave me at the gate."

The office smiled kindly, though his eyes were sharp, suspicious of her fidgiting. "I'll send someone to get you some, Aioka-san. Now what is your full name, place and date of birth?" As he spoke he flared his signature in a pattern to summon a career genin. Immediately the child's signature disappeared and she stilled, coiled to move, as she stared at him warily. "Is something wrong?"

Sunken eyes watched him balefully. "Please don't threaten me shinobi-san, I don't want to fight."

Startled the man blinked, utterly confused. What had he said or done that translated into a threat?

A gentle flare of chakra, from the career genin he summoned, had the child out of the chair and standing defensively where she could see both of them. Understanding quickly dawned on the officer and he dampened his signature significantly, causing the girl to focus on him. Wariness and complete confusion on her face but oddly there was no fear.

"You are extremely sensitive to chakra."

The girl remained still. "Chakra?"

Sighing softly the man nodded. "The energy you felt that made you jump. That's chakra. Does it hurt you?"

The girl flickered her gaze to the career genin who stood awkwardly in the door way and back to him, seemingly unwilling to speak and let her guard down.

"Get Aioka-san some water and something to eat, Juhi-san. Don't use chakra codes when you come back, just knock," the office finally directed to the genin.

The young man bowed slightly and left with a bemused look at the little girl standing warily in the middle of the office. Once there was one less person to worry about the girl relaxed her physical guard a little.

"My...tou-san, attacked me every time his...chakra flared," the hesitation over her words made him think she was unused to them, and was tasting something foreign.

The man mulled over that as he coaxed the girl back into the chair. If the severe response was anything to go by, it would take the child a long time to break the habit of flinching and probably even longer to stop reflexively hiding her own signature.

"In the shinobi world chakra signatures, the energy in people, is used to identify people. Flaring chakra signatures in certain patters, like I did to summon that Career Genin, can mean different things."

The child was skeptical. "I was beat every time I let mine loose in my village and chased when I was on the road."

So the suppression of her signature was a survival instinct. Interesting.

"Hiding your signature is very dangerous in-village, Aioka-san. When people do that they usually mean harm to someone in their near vicinity. And Shinobi will attack and ask questions later. So try to keep you signature out, it will cause a lot less headaches for everyone involved."

There was doubt on the girls face but she did finally unveil her signature only for it flicker out as her eyes darted to the door. The genin knocked and came in with the food and water. When he was gone again the girl pushed her signature out. Clearly that was going to be a rough habit for her to break.

"Shojikina Aioka, Gankona Hokori in Tsuchi no kuni, and sometime early May twelve years ago."

The officer added a note about a good memory. "Family?"

"Shojikina Meiko, deceased and Shojikina Choi nuke-nin of Iwagakure."

That explained the hesitation over her fathers' title. The Immigration's Officer wrote that down. "Skills?"

"What kind?"

"Civilian or shinobi."

"I can count like I said and..." here she began listing random skills that fell more in line with survival skills than anything else. The girl knew a lot about living on the streets and nothing of living in a home. For the next couple hours he began the standard questioning.

For Aioka the meeting was long and tiring as the man questioned her about several things, often asking the same question with different words or having her repeatedly explain something. She eventually snapped after he asked for the tenth time what her purpose for coming to Konoha was.

The Immigration's Officer inwardly sighed in relief when the girl finally showed her temper. It was standard practice to see where a new civilians tolerance level was. The fact that he couldn't use genjutsu due to her sensitivity to chakra, made the interrogation that much longer. The sharp blast of KI that followed her snap of temper was surprisingly potent. Children rarely learned how to use Killing Intent until after the Academy.

"Peace, Aioka-san; you have good tolerance for your age and fatigue."

Copper eyes closed as the girl took a calming breath. "May we finish soon, Shinobi-san? I would like to find a place to sleep before night falls."

The man nodded. "After the medic checks you again, I will send a for a chunnin to take you to a temporary apartment."

 **A:CG**

Aioka blinked blearily in the faint light. Confusion fogged her mind as she registered the bare room she was in. _Where-? Oh_ , the orphan yawned and relaxed into the futon she had slept on. Yesterday had been exhausting. After seeing the medic-nin a second time-she shuddered at the memory of the med-nin lecturing on the amount of food she need to eat-she had been given enough ryo to get through a month. Even though it was more than she had ever seen at one time in her life. A kind kunoichi had helped her find an apartment she could rent and helped her get a few necessities. Shampoo, clothes, and food. The apartment was small. Nothing more than one room and a bathroom, but it was more than she had had since her kaa-san was killed.

Stretching, the small twelve year old sighed in bliss. That had been the best sleep she could ever recall having. Smiling in contentment she rolled out of her bed and straightened her tunic and her sheet.

 _My bed,_ she thought with wonder, _my apartment, my clothes!_ A small giggle of excitement slipped pass her lips. Clamping a hand over her mouth, wide eyes darted around for someone to find her and punish her. Like they had in her village any time someone heard her or saw her. When nothing happened a soft and happy smile settled on her lips.

Going to her pantry, she grabbed an apple and slipped out into the grey light of early dawn. Pausing outside her apartment building, Aioka took a moment to study her surroundings so she would be able to find her way back. She was going to explore and observe her new village today.

Spying a mountain with four faces in it, the child thought that that would be a good place to start. Tossing the stem of her apple away, the child walked off; looking at everything she passed with wonder and curiosity. This village was much cleaner and bigger than previous places she had been. No drunks or pleasure women littered the side streets, no trash cluttered the roads. It was very different and very nice.

Not a block from her building, the girl became aware of someone following her. The person had actually been on the roof of her apartment building when she woke. Frowning she wondered why. Grimacing she recalled the Officer's statement about all immigrants being shadowed for a year and not to hide her signature. With a little concentration, the malnourished girl pushed her energy/chakra so other people could sense it. "Sorry Shinobi-san, bad habit," she called, cringing slightly at how loud her voice was in the early morning stillness.

A faint spike of surprise in the ninja's chakra made her flinch, her signature flicker out and back. She really needed to get used to how these ninja used their signatures for communications.

By the time she reached the top of the Mountain-with-faces, Aioka was somewhat shaken and unnerved by the amount of people around. Not only was it an assault on her chakra sense but also on her visual and auditory senses. The vastness of everything was intimidating. During the walk from the gate to the immigration's office yesterday she had dampened her ability as much as she could so she could focus on the threats that were in arms reach.

Taking a deep breath she released the dampening affect she had on her chakra senses. There were two signatures within half a mile of her. One was the ninja that was following her and the other was motionless in what seemed to be a clearing. Satisfied that she was mostly alone she sat down and closed her eyes. And completely released her dampeners. For one agonizing minute she saw every single life form in her line of sight. Everything glowed varying shades of blue red and orange, attempting to tell Aioka the danger level of each thing. Once the minute was up she slowly dampened her senses until she could process what she was seeing and studied that for a while. Dampening filtered out the 'weaker' chakra signatures. The weaker the signature the harder it was for her to see/sense. Currently she was able to use about a quarter of her sensing range for any long period of time. Comfortably, and without being overwhelmed, she could sense up to a radius of one hundred feet. Each week she would increase the distance by a foot.

Inhaling, Aioka dampened her senses to her new radius range of one hundred and one feet and rubbed her eyes tiredly as a dulled head ache pulsed. It was draining to use her full range but it got easier every time. Plus is gave her the general layout of the village. If she did that every week she would have the village memorized inside and out within six months.

Sighing, she got up and headed for the market district, absently aware that the signature in the clearing was gone. She wanted to compare prices and listen to gossip. When she returned to her apartment late that afternoon she was exhausted and in considerable pain. Apparently her range shrank to a third of its usual comfort level when human population density increased. It was going to suck doing all that work again but it would be so worth it.

 **...**

A/N: hopefully formatting issue is now fixed.


	2. Start of a Vision

**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto. Permission has been given to me by VixenTail and Hermionechan90 to use aspects/concepts from their stories.

Okay...this chapter is disjointed, somewhat long, and very different than what I intended. Hope you like it =)

 **...**

 **Start of a vision**

Dark lashes fluttered gently against tanned cheeks as awareness gradually came to the newest citizen of Konoha. Nuzzling the pillow once Aioka released a soft sigh. _Time to get up_ , she thought sleepily. A yawn broke passed her lips and she stretched leisurely in her bed. Even after two months the girl still found it astonishing to sleep in a bed. Letting out another contented sigh the twelve year old got up and went about her morning routine. Putting the kettle on the stove the girl made her bed and dressed. Outside the sun was just chasing away the greyness of dawn.

Since coming to Konoha the orphan had to lose several habits from her time on the road. Some were easy to give up, like not bathing often, while others were much more difficult, such as keeping her chakra signature out. An irritated huff escaped the girl as she flared her chakra out. Most people had difficulty hiding their signature continually; she had the opposite problem and it drove her babysitters to irritation. As a new citizen of the Leaf (mostly because she wasn't born in the village) she was assigned to be watched by Chunin for a year. Most kept their distance and only interacted with her if she hid her signature too long or was making a social blunder (which was embarassingly often). It wasn't her fault she didn't know the major clans yet!

Another sound of aggravation escaped the girl as she poured boiling water over a tea bag. She was required to attend classes to introduce and familiarize her with the laws here but the instructors seemed some what intimidated by her. Comments about how disrespectful she was reached her ears on more than one occasion. Thus she was mostly left to herself and when she did manage to get someone to answer her questions they just pointed her to the library.

 _I'd go there but I can't read!_ she thought in frustration. Shaking off the thought she looked out the window and smiled. The sounds of the village reached her and she decided it was too nice of a day to be dwelling on the minor irritations in her life.

Finishing her tea she grabbed an apple and left the house after setting a few traps she had rigged up around the possible entry ways into her home (i.e. doors and windows). Whenever she wasn't in classes she was wandering the village, familiarizing herself with every street, alleyway, and path. In the two months she had been here she had gone from one end of the village to the other and could safely claim she had memorized all the main traffic ways. She was currently working on adding side streets to her memory.

 _But first,_ the thought trailed off as she jogged toward her favorite place in the village. The top of the hokage monument. Twenty minutes later the girl sat cross legged atop the first hokage's head and stretched her senses. Every morning she spent roughly two hours exercising her senses. She trained her sight (locating various objects she had placed on the roof tops below), and hearing (locating and identifying her own heartbeat and breathing and that of her chunin observer). After an hour of working those senses she switched to sensing chakra signatures. She spent half the time studying everything she could feel in her comfort range, and the other half stretching her sense out to just before it became uncomfortable. The second half was just holding the range and purposefully not processing anything. Just holding. Aioka had found that by doing this it helped ease her into the next range increase at the start of each month. Before she would simply just to the next increment of range and be in pain for days. It took all her will power to hold the new range until she adjusted. Using this methode drastically decreased the pain and actually allowed her larger increases with significantly less pain.

Pulling her sense back to its comfort range, the girl rose to her feet and blissfully inhaled the scent of early morning. Smiling in content she jogged back down to the village and made her way to the market. Here she worked putting names and faces to the signatures she felt. In the two months she had been visiting the market, she had come to be able to identify all vendors and their employees by signature alone.

Aioka greeted vendors as they opened their shops, familiarizing herself with them and them with her. Many people often gave her looks of pity due to her lack of weight but she refused charity when it was offered but was more than willing to run errands or do chores for whatever food stuff they offered her. Today she had some what of a mission. She had noticed children her age bearing Hitai-ate doing odd jobs for civilians. She was curious about what they were doing. She had never seen shinobi her age before. All of them were older. Now that she thought about it, she really didn't know how someone became a shinobi. She would have to figure that out if she wanted to become one. At one village she had been passing through she had heard a shinobi threatening a teammate about getting demoted to the Genin corp where he would stay and tend to village maintence for the rest of his life. In a rare fit of stupidity and curiousity she had asked what the genin corp was. The shinobi, thankfully, had been more surprised than irritated at her sudden inquiry and had explained what it was. Aioka had fallen in love concept and had be come determined to become one.

Spotting a flicker of black Aioka smiled. It appeared that the Fire Daimyo's wife's cat had escaped yet again.

Clucking gently Aioka relaxed her signature and approached the cat. The animal blinked at her curiously and warily. Smiling gently she murmured softly to it as it allowed her to pet it. The cat purred at her gentle touch. For a moment the cat basked in her touch before freezing when a chakra signature drew close from above. Aioka chuckled softly as the cat sprinted off and pushed her signature out again as she glanced up at the chunin above her. The man looked mildly amused.

"Morning, Nara-chunin-san," Aioka chirped with a grin.

Of all her watchers, this one was by far her favorite. He was very laid back and seemed to understand that she genuinely struggled with her signature.

"Good morning, Aioka-san," he greeted, crouching comfortably on the edge of the roof. "I do believe that is the first time I've seen anyone your age get that close to that animal."

Aioka's smile was crooked and mischievous. "Animals like me."

The Nara gave her a bland look but chuckled none the less. "What are the plans today, Kakureta-chan?"

The sensor gave him an amused look for the nickname and told him about finding out about the kids with Hitai-ate's.

Nara Shikoru blinked lazily at the odd child, reminded again about the knowledge gaps she had. He did not know much about her past, other than she was from Tsuchi no Kuni near Iwagakure, but wherever it was it had not given her any information on ninja social structures, only chakra applications. Dropping down he decided that it would be in the girl's best interest if he sat her down and explained some things. "Come, let's get something to eat. You can pay me back later if you must," he said silencing her objection with a pat on the head.

The girl blinked, puzzled by his action but walked beside him. "Are you supposed to be seen with me?"

"There are no rules against it. Besides," he looked down at her with a small smile, "you have a lot of questions and not a lot of people who will answer them."

Aioka couldn't deny that. "I don't understand why. The instructors at my classes keep directing me to the library whenever I ask them something!"

The utter frustration in the childs voice gave the Nara a pause. There was something in her tone that made him mull for a moment. A moment later he blinked and frowned. "Can you read, Aioka-san?"

"No," she huffed, frustration rolling off her.

 _Well that answers so many thing_ , he thought, mentally reevaluating the child's actions over the past two months. He had heard the directions to go to the library and when she hadn't gone he thought she was just being a stubborn child that wanted the answers handed to her. But that action didn't match up with the girl's incredible drive to learn. In two months he had seen the child adapt and apply cultural norms she found, learn the village better than most civilians, find who were willing to let her work for food or necessities, and build a garden on her roof. The girl was incredibly independent.

"I see," he mused and led his charge to his home in the Nara Clan Compound. He was going to take her to an Akimichi restaurant but decided it was a crime that such a bright girl was blocked from such knowledge that reading would allow her to access.

Aioka followed the Nara curiously. The man had never done this before but she felt nothing threatening from him, and she wanted to know what he wanted. Following him into the compound she took in the pleasant atmosphere. There was something utterly tranquil about the Nara compound. Subconsciously she relaxed what was left of her guard as she looked around. Taking in the sight of the forest and the earth toned homes.

Shikoru smiled gently at the child, apparently the Shadows liked her. Most guest would become slightly tense when they passed through the gates here due to the amount of shadows that seemed to move and twist on their own when you weren't looking straight at them. To the Nara's shadows were very much alive.

"This way Aioka-san,"

The twelve year old followed him into a house a ways into the forest with five or six other structures near in a 'u' shape. Inside Aioka found herself kneeling beside a small sand box with a stick and a page full of kanji. For the rest the next four hours the girl felt the thrill of learning as the chunin showed her how to hold her writing utensil correctly and copy kanji and learn their meanings. Over the next month and a half, Aioka devoted herself to learning whatever Shikoru-sensei had to teach her. When she wasn't at class or working she could be found with her favorite chunin. Learning everything from kanji to the history of shinobi villages.

"Shikoru-sensei?"

Shikoru glanced up from the game of shogi he was playing against a kage bunshin. "Hmm?" He only had the reserves to make one or two, but just barely. So it was practically useless to him in battle but useful enough in a noncombat situation.

"Can I go to the academy?"

The question didn't surprise him, he had been waiting for it for weeks now. Ever since he had explained the rankings and structure of the Konoha shinobi he had seen the thoughtfulness in his kouhai eyes.

"Yes."

The girl's eyes came into focus, her eyes having been unseeing when she voiced her question, and studied him. In the time she had known him she had learned to read not only his tones and body language but others as well. What she heard now was a resounding 'but'.

"But I won't get far because of my age and lack of knowledge," she stated. She knew this and was fine with it. "I'd like to be a Career genin."

Shikoru studied the girl, dark eyes gauging if she truly understood what she was asking. A life of never ending D-ranks and the rare C-rank was not something most would desire. It was tedious and thankless work. Career Genin rarely learned anything more than an occasional C-rank jutsu. Aioka, he knew, understood this and would have thought over the decision thoroughly before seeking to pursue it.

A small smile softened his mouth and eyes. "I will get you started next week. Career Genin isn't a position many would be content with. Will you attempt for Chunin later?" If she managed to catch the attention of a Jonin, she could be taken on as an apprentice and earn a promotion through that. It was rare, very rare, but it happened on occassion.

"No."

Dark eyes blink at the shogi board and both Bunshin and the original looked at the girl.

"No?" both voiced.

Aioka nodded as she carefully traced the kanji assigned to her. She had done these characters hundreds of times but Shikoru insisted on continual practice. "I have killed many times before I came here, Sensei," she said, her tone lacking inflection. "I am capable of doing it in defense of myself and others but I take no pleasure in it. As a Career Genin it will not be expect of me on a daily basis. I love seeing people smile. I love helping people rise from poverty to stability. You've seen what I do for the civilians already. I will be perfectly content with the role of Genin."

Shikoru could agree with her but also knew she would hate the restrictions of what genin were limited too. "Perhaps. But don't think you would be wasting your talent as a sensor?"

Aioka shrugged. "Perhaps but I want peace, Shikoru-sensei," her voice was shadowed by remembered pain, exhaustion, and loneliness of her past. "I want to give people the security that I lacked before I came here. As a Genin I can _see_ that security as I work and ensure it by keeping an eye out for foreign signatures. By now I know forty percent of the shinobi populations signatures and faces and ninty percent of the civilians. If I'm not here how can I guard my home from imposters?"

For a while the Nara was quiet and then he smiled and returned to his game. His little Karusu (concealed, like a ghost) would become a shugo tenshi (guardian angel) of the people.

 **A:CG**

Aioka was exhausted. Shikoru-sensei had drilled her mercilessly in history, chakra theory, strategy, maths, and every form of bookwork he could cram into her before she started at the academy. Because of her age she would only have a year in the academy, and because of her underdeveloped education she was far behind her peers in regards to the knowledge side of her education. Physically, despite her recovering state of malnutrition, she was on par with most genin. Chakra wise she was far beyond them.

When Shikoru-sensei had discovered that she had been training under the noses of her guard, and how, he was both impressed and outraged...it was not a state she ever wanted to see the man in again. Nara's were terrifying when pissed off.

She shuddered at the utter fear and anger he had directed at her. Apparently chakra depletion without supervision was a really stupid idea. Which was something she had been doing once a month since she was six. One of the few tips her tou-san had given her was how to increase her chakra reserves and how to create a Kage Bunshin, he just failed to mention how dangerous both were. Needless to say Shikoru-sensei made her promise to tell him when she was going to do that so he could be nearby, and then proceeded to praise her for being able to trick her guards. She simultaneously created a kage bunshin and suppressed her chakra when she got home at night. Leaving the bunshin in the house, fluctuating its chakra like Aioka did normally, the real her snuck off to a training field she had found abandoned behind the Hokage monument.

The morning of her first day Aioka felt butterflies in her stomach. She didn't really understand her nervousness though and couldn't help but hug Shikoru-sensei when he met her outside the academy.

"Nervous?" the Nara murmured, loosely holding the girl and trying to hold back his joy at the physical display. The girl was hesitant with affectionate displays aside from the brief head or shoulder pats he gave her.

Face hidden in the man stomach, Aioka nodded and muttered about ridiculousness. "Can we go to that Akimichi place when I get out?" she asked hesitantly when she pulled away.

Shikoru smiled down at the girl. Due to his involvement with her he had been pulled from guarding her but he hadn't been reprimanded for his choice. He was proud of what she had accomplished in the short time he had known her. "Absolutely. Chin up Borei-chan."

Aioka chuckled at the nickname. "Hai, sensei."

With that she turned and trotted into the academy. After telling an instructor that she was here for a placement test she found herself sitting in a classroom full of kids several years younger than her. It made her a little self conscious but she smiled at the children who were bold enough to question her presence. For ten minutes she listened to the children boast about this and that with attentiveness that they preened under. When the sensei came in he blinked at her but didn't question her presence as he began calling names. When her name came up she lightly flared her chakra in acknowledgement. At his glance she verbalised her acknowledgement. Apparently the role call wasn't just for him but so the other kids could identify each other.

After that the sensei, whose name was Kisuko Yugii, gave a welcome speech and an explanation of the rules of the test.

When they were told to begin Aioka grimaced at the amount of reading there was. She could do the basic math easily enough but for the next hour she struggled to read the questions. When the time was up Aioka barely made it through half the questions. She knew she had gotten the ones she had answered correct but her slow reading skills had cost her.

Taking a deep breath Aioka raised her hand.

"Yes, Aioka-chan." Kisuko Yugii had been watching the older girl off and on the whole hour and had seen her slow progress. From what he could make out she had answered less than the needed amount to be placed in the graduating class.

"May I take this test orally? I'm still learning how to read."

Snickers broke out across the room and Yugii was impressed that the girl just smiled and shared the younger kids amusement. It impressed the academy instructor that the twelve year old was capable of shrugging off the embarrassment she had to be feeling. Getting laughed at by kids half her age likely wasn't pleasant.

"When did you start learning to read?" if it was more than a year than he would not, she should have more than enough practice to read the test questions.

"Just over two months, sensei."

Yugii blinked once, twice. That wasn't expected.

"Very well. We will do it after the physical assessments. Alright class follow me outside."

Aioka let out a relieved sigh and helped herd the excited kids after the sensei. For the next three hours strength, endurance, and speed were tested via spars, obstacle courses, and races. Aioka's tests were done last so she could be accurately assessed. Her spar had been against one of the instructors. She had knocked the man out of the ring in five seconds the first time. The instructors were stunned at first but had her go again. The second time ended after almost ten minutes when Yugii-sensei called a halt. Next they were all tested for chakra control via the leaf sticking exercises. Aioka did so easily. Because the instructors only asked that one leaf be placed on the forehead she didn't show that she could hold enough leaves to cover every inch of skin and move all over herself.

After the other kids were dismissed Yugii-sensei gave Aioka the written test orally and wrote her answers down for her. Whether or not she did well the man didn't say but Aioka could tell he was impressed. Chakra signatures told much.

Stepping outside, copper eyes eagerly went to her favorite chunin hiding in a tree and a grin spread across her face as she ran and clambered up to him. "Hi!"

Shikoru opened an eye, sleep slightly fogging his gaze. "Ready?" he asked as he sat up and rolled his shoulders.

The girl hummed in agreement. "Aside from the written test it was really easy. Yugii-sensei was kind enough to give me the test orally after the physical assessments," she informed him, dropping from the tree after him. Supposed the tests weren't meant for kids her age but they still seemed really easy.

"Is it unusual for kids my age to know how to manipulate chakra?"

"Hai, generally children don't learn more than the leaf sticking exercises until after they graduate."

Aioka accepted that. "I think I startled the sensei's with my tiajutsu...I think I broke Odaki-sensei's nose…"

Shikoru let out a strangled laugh. "Borei-chan, your tiajutsu scares me and I've never spared you." The girl's taijutsu was absolutely brutal. It had been formed from necessity. It gave no warning about any movement. From a flat footed stand still the girl could redirect, evade, and destroy an attack from any direction. It relied heavily on stamina and speed which, surprisingly, the malnourished child had in spades.

The two continued winding through the streets, talking about Aioka's plans for her time in the academy and after. The biggest obstacles the girl would face were her illiteracy and her lack of understanding social norms. She would make several embarrassing etiquette blunders before the year was up.

 **A:CG**

 _Tiger, Boar, Ox, Snake_ ; tanned gloved hands flew through the seals, never faltering or fumbling, even as the owner reflected on their meanings and purpose.

 _Tiger,_ co-oridination and strength, _Boar_ , leadership and focus, _Ox_ , discipline and stability, _Snake_ , flexibility and agility. Such were the characteristics of the _Kawarimi_ _no Jutsu:_ the substitution technique. It was one of three jutsu's Academy students were taught, and one of two that were truly useful. The _Kawarimi_ was the most useful in a fight, allowing a person to dodge attacks or make sneak attacks, while the _Henge no Jutsu_ was best for information gathering or infiltration.

Finishing the last seal, Aioka held it, feeling the way her chakra was formed within her coils one more time before releasing the seal and allowing her chakra to flow back to her hora. Taking a deep breath she began to go through a basic kata while at the same time trying to replicate the chakra flow of a _Kawarimi_ without the hand signs.

Two months had passed since she had graduated from the Academy and joined the Genin Corp and just over year and three months since she had come to Konohagakure. She had never been happier. She had food, shelter, and people who cared about her; it was more than she had had since her mother had been killed. However, life wasn't all daisies. Embarassment had been a perpetual state of being for her. Shortly after Nara Shikoru had took her under his wing, he sat her down and talked about her social etiquette, which was non existant. Having to learn manners was likely the most confusing and humbling experience she had ever endured. It was hard for Aioka not to give into bitterness over the issue. Days and weeks of humiliation were not her idea of fun. The Academy had been hell for her. Getting mocked and laughed at by her peers and scolded by her instructors (often publicly) was grueling. However, she had persevered and didn't allow the antagonizing to ruin her. Yes her manners were lacking but she was an excellent student. When she graduated she held a comfortable place in the middle of her year. For some one who had been illiterate until a couple months before starting the Academy, that was very impressive. Aioka had declined participation in a Jonin's test and went straight to the Genin Corp HQ to sign up. After three days of working, Aioka had found herself bored and slightly frustrated with the other Genin. No one had any drive. Her teammates (three males who had been Career Genin for over two years) were going through the motions of their duty but doing nothing to improve themselves. Just because they were Genin did not mean that they couldn't improve themselves. So Aioka had taken to training after the quota of missions were met. In the HQ. Where all the other Genin could see her. She had seen the odd looks she had been getting from the first day. Some were curious others were disdainful but no one had yet to join her.

Aioka stumbled as the pull of _Kawarimi_ released her and blinked, glancing back to where she had been standing moments before, several yards away. Grinning happily at the success of her first sealless replacement she began to cool down. She always stopped after the first success of anything she did, both as a reward and to imprint in her body that _that_ was what she had wanted of it.

The dark haired girl did not fail to notice the shocked and interested looks of her fellow Genin. She could tell many were debating on speaking with her. Since she had graduated she had spent most of her time in the HQ people watching. She hadn't talked to anyone besides her teammates as of yet though.

Standing from her final stretch she sighed happily and made her way to where she had left her lunch. Ever since she was first taught the Academy three she was determined to master them. It had taken her a couple of months before she managed to do all three smokeless with seals. Now she had to reduce the time it took her to use _kawarimi_ without seals before she worked on reducing and eliminating the smoke factor.

 **A:CG**

"Shikoru-san! Hello."

Nara Shikoru smile benignly at the pleased exclaimation. "Hello Borei-chan."

The pretty thirteen year old giggled at the nickname and opened her door for him to come in. The chunin removed his shoes and slipped on a pair of house slippers, briefly recalling the childs utter bemusement on learning about house etiquette. She had come a long way from that ignorant and barbaric waif.

"Would you like tea? I just put a pot on."

Shikoru voiced his agreement and watched the girl move into her kitchen, bemusedly recalling a time when the child watched him make tea with wonder. At the time it had amused him, the utter wonder and curiosity she had had for the most mundane thing, but now that amusement was tainted by a sort of anger. If Aioka's father ever crossed the Nara's path, Shikoru would not be held responsible for any damages caused.

"How was you mission? I felt you return yesterday. How are Kotesu-san, Byuchiki-san, and Ran-san?"

That was something that still confonded the Nara; Aioka's sensing ability. It was something he was just starting to grasp the extent of. When Aioka had told him about it before she joined the academy, he had assumed she was exagerating like any child. Finding she wasn't had been a punch to the gut. He could not even begin to imagine what would happen to her if that talent became common knowledge. In a way her ability was better than the Hyuuga's Byakugan, in that nothing with a signature could hide from her whereas someone could cloak themselves and hide from the Byakugan. Aioka could not see tenketsu points nor did she have binocular vision as most Hyuuga. From what he understood, she saw chakra in colors that represented the strength/amount of chakra a(n) person/object had, she did not see fine details like. Of course he couldn't forget that she couldn't actually 'see' with her sense either; Aioka always insisted that it was all feel. Shikoru called bull but decided that it didn't matter.

"Ran-san sprained his ankle on the way home, other than that they are well," he replied as he sat at the table. "Where were you when you sensed me?" He often wondered what her range was; they never really touched on that topic before.

Aioka placed a box of tea on the table for him to choose from. "Missions Desk; my team and I had just finished cleaning the water ways leaving the Uchiha Compound."

Shikoru plucked a bag of peach tea from the box and handed it over. "Half a mile, that's impressive."

Aioka flashed him a quick smile. "Is this a 'because' visit or do you need something?"

"A bit of both," the man answered with an easy smile.

"What is it?" The inquiry was relaxed when many children her age would find his amiguous answer somewhat threatening and make them feel like they were in trouble. Aioka was not easily intimidated.

"Later; tell me about your week." His question would wait until before he left, otherwise he wouldn't talk about anything else.

As the girl gave him a textbook perfect report, Shikoru found himself learning far more about the civilians Aioka had worked for than he had expected. Aioka knew the names of all her clients. She knew the names of their immediate families, their age, temperments, likes and dislikes. She told him of the abuse she suspected was happening in the Kioga household, and what evidence that led her to that suspicion. She told him about the strides she had made in mastering the Academy Three and asked him for recommendations on what to read to work on her Genjutsu. She told him she did not like Genjutsu, even though she found it easy, but was unwilling to eplain why-the haunted look in her eyes was troubling-so he let it alone. She told him about a new family in the Weaving business that she suspected of being spies for Suna and gave observations she had made that lead her to that belief and how she had dropped an annymous note to the Uchiha Police. The Police were quietly investigating the family and an ANBU was shadowing the head of the house.

After her report they were silent, sipping on their second cup of tea.

"Why did you choose the Genin Corp?" He asked abruptly, dark eyes focusing intently on the talent she had was wasted in Corp; she could easily make Jonin in four years if she wanted to.

Aioka's eyes widened at his sudden intensity. "Shikoru-san?"

"Why waste your talent as a Career Genin? Why don't you go to T&I or Tracking?" These were questions Shikoru had had since the Sensor first voiced her intentions of becoming a Genin. The answer she gave him before he signed her up for the Academy no longer satisfied him.

Copper eyes stared at him, confused by his sudden questions. "Because I love our village." The Nara's expression did not lose the intense and inquiring edge. "Shikoru-san, I want to protect the village, it's people. I can't do that when I'm outside of it all the time," she expounded, her features taking on an intensity that only appeared when she was passionate about getting a point across. "The Genin Corp, next to the Uchiha Police, are the villages' greatest defense against spies and infiltrators. We have hourly contact with the heart of Konoha. We are the ones who know its people the best. With my ability I take that knowledge to a whole 'nother level. We are the villages' internal defense. I have memorized over seventy percent of the civilian populations' signatures. I can give name to thirty percent and describe one hundred percent of the people whose signatures i've memorized. I know every single Career Genin, Uchiha officer, Gate keeper, signature. Give me another year and I will know every signature who is regularly in the village. Through me, the Genin Corp and Uchiha Police can make the internal structure of Konoha impentrable against foriegn enemies."

Shikoru's mind whirled to assimilate what Aioka was telling him and the unintended information behind the words. Aioka viewed Konoha as the people, not an idea. She saw holes in village security and was making moves to fill them. She was planning on using the people civilians were most comfortable with to accomplish this. Aioka wasn't discribing the Genin Corp and Uchiha Police as it was right now. She did not fear the Uchiha.

"The Genin Corp and the Police don't work together, Borei-chan," he pointed out, watching his young companion. THe sudden knot of suspicion in his chest made him afraid. Was this girl going to betray him? Was she really not what he had thought; loyal?

The thoughts were utterly rediculous (he knew) but they crowded his mind quickly. The sudden realization of exactly how ambitious the girl was made him wonder if he had missed something in her character.

Aioka suddenly flushed and looked down. The bashful display was relieving. "Ano, I've had an idea I've been working on about that."

Shikoru momentarily wished the tea he was drinking was sake. He really hoped he was over thinking what the child was telling him. "Care to share?"

Aioka nodded eagerly. "Did you know the Genin Corp has a Commander?"

 _What?_ "I didn't." He couldn't recall ever hearing or reading about a Genin COmmander.

The ink haired girl nodded. "That isn't surprising. The position isn't much more than an empty title right now. From what I've read, the Genin Commander was intended to have the same authority as a Chunin but it was never really developed beyond what it is."

That was interesting. "Where did you read this?"

"Commander Uzashi's office. I offered to organize it for him last week. There had to be thirty pounds of dust and dirt in that room."

Shikoru laughed at the displeasure in her voice. The girl had a deep dislike for dirty living and working quarters.

The girl flashed a smile at his amusement. "Anyway, acording to the original charter the Nidaime wanted the Corp to be the villages' internal security. At the moment we are doing the actions of what the charter intended but not the spirit of it. From what I understand of the charter, Tobirama-sama want to use the Corp as monitors, much like the Uchiha Police but on a more subvert level. The Corp was meant to be an asset to the Police, a silent shadow you could say. The Police would deal with actual problems while the Corp would be the informants."

Shikoru wasn't sure how to take this news. "Do you have the Charter?"

Aioka nodded and got up from the table. "I made a copy. I don't think the Commander has ever seen it before; when I asked him about it he was pretty confused and dismissive." Trotting to and from her room, the teen gave a neat hand written copy of the Genin Corp Charter.

It said exactly what Aioka had told him, even laid out exact details and protocols for everything from the Corps response to invsion to domestic violence.

"You want to become Genin Commander and put this charter into action." Shikoru couldn't help but state to obvious, quite incedulous about it all.

Aioka bobbed a nod. "Yes. I think I would do really well. What do you think? I know it's an obscure position but its a good one. Can you imagine how much more secure the village would be if this happened?"

Shikoru could, but he also saw how it would shift a great deal of power to a division of the shinobi ranks that had never had any power before and how it could cause a lot of political upheavle.

Shikoru did not have any political pull, even in his clan, but he knew enough about it to know Aioka did not have enough to even think about trying this. He said so.

Eagerness fell away to seriousness. "I don't plan on asking, Shikoru-san. I am a shinobi of Konohagakure and I have made my oaths to protect it to the best of my ability. I think for my village, not just follow orders. I know I would never get approval for this. The council, civilian and shinobi alike, would not want to grant the Corp that kind of influence. I would like your input though, if you're okay with it that is." The ending statement was said with vulnerable uncertainty. That relieved any building aggitation. The value the girl had in his opinion was good. Hopefully he would be able to keep her from doing something massivily stupid.

"I'll hear what you have to say, Aioka-chan; but I want you to know you sound very much llike you want to take over the village."

Aioka blinked and laughed. "I am Konoha's, Shikoru-san. I do not want Konoha to be mine."

Shikoru finally relaxed at that proclimations. Child geniuses were always dicey; too many ways they could go sour. The Nara caln knew this better than most.

"I think this topic is done for today. I need to think," he said, smiling to reassure the girl that he wasn't displeased with what she had told him.

Aioka agreed and gathered up their cups. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

With a firm thought, the Nara pushed Aioka's topic to the back of his mind and smiled. "Ichika-chan agreed to marry me."

Laughing the Nara caught Aioka when the girl threw herself at him with a delighted squeal. She had been pestering him to ask the Akimichi civilian for months.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes! I knew she would!" the girl crowed, grinning up at him from hugging his waist.

Shikoru grinned and ruffled her hair affectionately. "We marry next year. Would you like to be there?"

Tears gathered in copper eyes. "I'd love that, Shikoru-san."

 **A:CG**

 **A/N:** Like I said; very disjointed. This chapter ran away with me and jam-packed it with a bunch of info and allusions to a bunch of stuff I haven't written yet. I will eventually go back and actually write Aioka's Academy days once I finish the concept draft (this draft). Please tell me what you think. The good, bad, and ugly are all acceptable.

Until next week!

Uncertain


	3. Rank

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. VixenTail and Hermionechan90 have given me permission to use aspects of their stories, their ideas belong to them, I'm just borrowing them.

 **A/N:** Super short and disjointed chapter. I will be doing a huge revision after I complete the story as a whole. Adding chapters, dialogue, etc. but for now I just want to finish it. I guess I should put a warning or something on the first chapter about that… ah well. Enjoy!

 **...**

 **Rank**

Aioka slouched against a wall, her body deceptively relaxed and unassuming as she observed her fellow Genin. Today she would receive her own team from the fresh Genin who had failed their Jonin test. Many of the gathered Genin were not happy, several angry, and it would be her job to calm three of them down and show them the ropes of being a Career Genin.

At fourteen she had gained a couple inches and put on some healthy weight. Ichika-san's cooking was largely helpful in the weight gain department. A couple of months ago Aioka had the displeasure of enduring her body rushing through the years of puberty she had missed due to her poor health. That was something she could have done without; having Ichika-san sit her down and explain what was happening had been more than a little embarrassing.

Watching the gaggle, Aioka waited for Uzashi-san to finish his speech and give out teams. Since her enlistment right out of the Academy, Aioka had become familiar to the large majority of the Genin Corp. Her work ethic earned her appreciation and her kindness won her friends. The Commander had taken her under his wing when he noticed a rise in competency in the Genin who spent time with her. More than one Genin, including the Commander, had asked her why she remained a genin, it was obvious to many that she could easily rise in the ranks once she got an apprenticeship. Aioka had just smiled. "I love what I do. Why change?"

And she did love what she did. She loved ensuring people didn't have to live like she had. Now she would guide three disappointed gaki's in the life they had chosen and make them great. Aioka had a training model she wanted to try with them. If it yielded the results she expected, she would rope others into following it.

Watching the various teams meet with her peers, Aioka wondered how her team would respond to having a sensei only a few years older than them? Usually the Commander gave teams to people over fifteen but she had proven herself a good teacher so she was getting one early.

"Team 23." Aioka perked up at her team number. "Huro Ai, Shigako Duzo, Yamaiza Naku; find your number."

Along the walls of the Genin Corp HQ meeting hall were numbers 1-100. Rarely were there more than thirty new teams at a time.

Remaining against the wall, the copper eyed girl watched two boys and a girl gather under number twenty three. The three had distance between them, telling Aioka that they did not know each other; the boys kept a greater distance between the girl than between themselves. Either the girl had a bad reputation or the boys were afraid of cooties.

The girl, Huro Ai, was on the small side and had a nervous disposition. Her hair was brown, tied in a low tail, and her skin was tanned. Both boys had black hair, one with a short tail and the other with close cut spiky hair. Short-Tail was tall and wiry while Spiky was broad and little chubby. All three were not physically fit. Mentally adjusting their training plan to include more endurance and strength training, she strolled over to them.

The three look at her curiously. Her once matted hair was a clean black pulled into a neat french braid, her Hitai-ate around her hips as a belt. Calm copper eyes scanned them lazily, noting that the boys were civilian and the girl was likely an orphan.

"Right, I'm Shojikina Aioka, I am Team 23's Taicho; welcome to the Genin Corp."

The three stared at her. Ai with surprise and the boys with disbelief.

"You're our Taicho?" Spikey inquired skeptically, "you're our age."

Aioka lifted a shoulder. "My age shouldn't matter. Now come on, it's time to eat. You three ever been to Yoku's BBQ?"

The three fresh Genin trailed after her, confusion added to their already smarting pride and disappointed dreams.

"I know which of you is Huro-san; who is Shigako-san?"

Turned out Spikey was Shigako Duzo and Short-Tail was Yamaiza Naku. When they got to the restaurant, Aioka greeted the staff with easy familiarity. "Monichi-chan, is the back table available?"

The Akimichi woman smiled kindly at the four of them. "Yes. Would you like your usual Aioka-chan?"

"Please."

The four Genin sat at a semi secluded table near the back of the restaurant. It was the table Aioka and Shikoru always sat when they came here. Ai sat with Aioka on one side and the boys on the other.

"Name, age, and style preference. Shigako-san, you first," Aioka commanded. Based on her students' body types she already had an idea what they would be good at but she wanted to hear what they liked to do.

The broad boy straightened, grey eyes annoyed at her tone. "Shigako Duzo, twelve, ninjutsu."

Aioka nodded, not at all surprised even though she could see him more as a Tai user. "Yamaiza-san."

The wiry boy had propped an elbow on the table and rested his chin in his hand. "Yamaiza Naku, twelve, ninjutsu." His tone bored and condescending; clearly not thinking much of his Taicho. THat would change quickly.

"Huro Ai, eleven, I don't have a preference," the other girl spoke softly at Aioka's prompt, pinkish eyes fixed shyly on the table top.

Aioka smiled lightly. "As I said, I'm Shojikina Aioka, I'm fourteen, and I also do not have a preference though I do not care for Genjutsu. Now, can anyone tell me the purpose of D-rank missions?"

For the rest of the meal, Aioka got an idea of what they had retained from their academic studies and what type of people they were. Ai was a smart girl, polite, and needed better self-esteem. Naku came from an old traditional civilian home and viewed females beneath him; he wasn't malicious about it as some could be but that was an attitude Aioka was going to change. Naku had a fair grasp on the academics but wasn't able to articulate a lot of what he knew. Duzo was cocky and could give all the right answers without really understanding what those answers meant. Overall Aioka thought it was a good team; they just needed a lot of work.

"Good. Do you have questions for me?"

"How long have you been a Genin?" Naku asked, once again leaning his chin on his hand.

"A little over a year."

"Redo a year?" Duzo snarked.

Aioka brushed his tone off with a small smile. The boy suddenly felt very uneasy. "I started late. I only had one year in the Academy."

Ai peeked at her from the corner of her eye. "Why is that, Aioka-taicho?"

"I immigrated here when I was twelve, joined the Academy shortly after and graduated a little over a year ago. I chose not to try for Jonin-track and came straight to the Corp."

"You chose to come to this dead end?" Duzo exclaimed, unable to imagine why anyone would want to sentence themselves to endless D-ranks with no hope of advancement.

Aioka merely smiled, disinclined to explain her reasons just yet. "I believe that is enough for one day. We will start training and missions tomorrow. Meet at the HQ tomorrow at seven under our team number and make sure to eat a good breakfast."

When the three left Aioka returned to HQ. It was still early in the day and she wanted to get some paper work done and finalize her training plans before having Uzashi approve it. Now that she had her own team to lead, she would no longer work with the team she had been assigned to when she first came to the Corp. Aioka still planned on training with them but they would no longer run missions together.

Stepping into the office she shared with the Commander she greeted the man with a friendly smile. Uzashi was nearing forty and was the oldest Genin in the Corp. He was ecstatic to have found someone to take his place. Before she started putting herself in his path he had resigned himself to dying of old age without passing his title. He could have chosen anyone but he had some pride in his work and did not want to leave it to someone who simply did not care like most Genin.

"How is your team?" he inquired, turning back to the financial report he was reading.

"Good, thank you. I really appreciate you letting me take on a team already," the teen answered.

"You can handle one. Most your age can't; either because of immaturity or incompetence," was the commanders gruff reply.

Aioka acknowledge the point with a grimace. That statement was sadly accurate of her agemates. Hopefully that norm would change with her influence.

The main reason the Genin Corp was so woefully under-skilled was merely a lack of purpose. Shinobi and civilians alike saw the Genin Corp as a dead end. The place failures went. It was that mind set that made the atmosphere so acidic to improvements. Aioka was showing the long time Genin that, that did not have to be true. She showed them through actions. She showed them by training in front of them every day, letting them see her advancement without the help of a Jonin. They were able to witness her master _Kawarimi_ to the point that she no longer required hand signs or vocal commands. One or two learned that they could get similar results if they followed her advice. Then those two became four more and sixteen more, until more than half the Corp was training together and sharing what they had learned. The changes would taper off soon and Aioka and the Commander knew it would be hard to keep the Corp from backsliding into old habits, but they would do it. The mental health of their Corp and (in Aioka's mind) the security of the village depended on it.

 **A:CG**

Since the founding of the Hidden villages, the Genin Corp has never been seen as impressive. It was where the cast off went, it was where the disappointed festered resentment and envy toward the Jonin-track Genin. So Aioka was pleasantly surprised when it took only a short time to bring the Corp's overall skill level up to something that consistently represented competence. All it took was her patience, a willingness to answer questions, and time.

Many of the older Genin had resisted the changes at first; years of being told, and believing, that they were worthless made them skeptical and somewhat hostile toward the fifteen year old Commander. The fact that many of them had children her age did not help ease them into respecting her. Aioka accepted the challenges and, with an iron will and patience, the girl reformed the Corp into competent individuals.

Client satisfaction increased and overall contentment of the Corp members rose. Several Genin managed to rise to Chunin via apprenticeships. After three years the sharp rise in skill leveled off and the Genin Corp faded into the background once again.

Life in the village was always good but it became even better as the less traveled roads, alley ways, and abandoned compounds were slowly cleaned up.

Crime was curbed (not gone) in the redlight district and a new sense of safety lightened the air. Uchiha Police took credit for the changes, and the Corp was content to let them. It was easier for everyone and Aioka's Corp functioned best without scrutiny. However, not all shinobi were content to believe what they heard and actually looked into who was behind the improvements. What they found left them bemused. Teams of Career Genin passed through the redlight distric at random times, clearing trash from roads, straightening a sign, mediating an argument between civilians or just stopping to talk to a working girl. The changes were baffling but the lack of threat let most shinobi dismiss it and turn their attention to more interesting things.

…

 **A/N:** super short chapter, I know; hope you liked it anyway. Next chapter will be much longer.


	4. Protective Instinct

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto and I have Vixen Tail's and Hermionechan90's permission to use aspects of their stories. I don't own the aforementioned authors ideas, I'm just borrowing them.

 **A/N:** Guess who you get to meet this chapter? =D.

…

 **Protective Instinct**

Six years had passed since Aioka had come to Konoha and she enjoyed every second of it. Nara Shikoru had married Akimichi Ichika five years ago and had give Aioka the title of 'nee-chan' a year ago. The Nara couple had adopted her in all but name after she became a Genin. Because of her association with the highly intelligent clan, Aioka's own intelligence was trained and sharpened. She picked up several of the Nara's typical traits; such as awareness, fluidity of movement, quietness, and lazy posture. However, the laziness went no further than her posture and was not reflected in other aspects of her life.

At eighteen she had been Commander of the Genin Corp for four years. Since she took over, the quality of the Corp Genin rose to rival the rookies of the year that left the academy. The difference was Aioka's belief in doing one's best in any situation. No, Career Genin were not the most extravagant or powerful ninja in the village but they were the most underestimated. Every Genin who served under her trained to improve their skills or expand their knowledge before their shifts. This was mandatory, whereas before it was an option that was ignored. As a result all Career Genin could preform all levels of chakra exercises available to their rank and everything that was ever taught in the Academy was practiced and utilized. As a result a Corp team (a captain and three others) were capable of taking down an average Jonin. This had been tested repeatedly with the help of Nara Shikoru and some of his friends.

Aioka rolled her shoulders with a satisfied sigh. Another group of Genin cast offs had been introduced today. There was quire a bit of potential this year, just very under trained. Most were from civilian back grounds. It seemed to the Genin Commander that more and more civilians were failing from a lack of effective teaching.

 _Ah well, more for me,_ she thought dryly. If the trend continued for another two school years she would attempt to bring it to the Hokage's attention.

Stuffing her hand in her pant pockets she lazily made her way toward the market. It was the start of her day off and she liked to spend it wandering the village in a never ending task of familiarizing herself with signatures.

Civilians greeted her as she walked by, many children skipping next to her and begging for a game. Aioka chuckled softly at their pouts when she declined. "I need to eat little ones, off you go. I'll play with you tomorrow after my lunch."

Happy shouts left the children as they ran off to their parents, leaving the woman smiling. Kami she loved her village.

A ruckus up ahead caught the woman's attention, doubly so when she recognize the signatures of two of her Genin and that of a person she had yet to meet yet was intimately familiar with their signature.

Pushing through the grimly satisfied crowd Aioka immediate barked at the children grappling in front of the store.

"Yame."

The two Genin snapped to attention, their faces a painful mix of shock at their bodies trained response and fear when they saw the very unamused face of their Commander.

"Silence," the order cracked like a whip when on of the two started to open his mouth. Turning to the crowd, Aioka bowed and spoke with restrained disdain. "I apologize for my genin's disruptive behavior. It would please me if you would leave now."

The crowd dispersed reluctantly but none wished to challenge the woman they all knew and respected.

Shifting her attention to the boy sitting in the street, Aioka's eyes narrowed at the cuts, bruises, and the whisker marks on his cheeks. Uzumaki Naruto: she had heard about the boy off and on since she first arrived in Konoha but had been focused on adjusting to her new life to search him out. The whispers of his treatment hit far too close to her own experience for her to really ignore.

The boy flinched under her gaze, telling the kunoichi far more than words could.

Schooling her features to something more neutral, Aioka looked at her Genin. Who promptly shrank under her gaze. It was never good when someone received that look.

"You will be in my office at seven tomorrow to discuss your punishment. Now apologize and get out of my sight."

The two boys flinched under the glacier tone. "Hai, soutaicho."

The boys obeyed; their fear/respect of their Commander far greater than that of their parents who had encouraged the bullying of the 'Demon Brat'.

"Neh, why'd you do that neechan?"

Aioka looked down at the small boy her genin had been assaulting. The suspicion and disbelief in his bright blue eyes echoed too closely to her childhood.

"I expect professionalism from my Corp, Uzumaki-san. I will not tolerate a leaf-nin bullying a civilian, especially an academy student."

The boy seemed to become wistful for a moment before jumping and pointing at her dramatically. "How's you know I go to the academy?!"

Aioka rubbed her ear in a useless attempt to sooth the ringing the blonde's voice induced. "I"m not deaf, gaki; and I'm a sensor. Your signature is at the academy most days." And everywhere else for that matter. Uzumaki's signature was large and potent enough to blanket most of the village.

Apparently the brat couldn't take a hint because he continued in a fairly loud voice about how cool she was.

Snorting lightly she place a finger on his lips, halting him mid-rant and making him go cross-eyed to stare at her hand. "I don't mind you company, gaki, but quiet down. You are hurting my ears."

"Oh, sorry," he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, a little perturbed that his voice was hurting her.

Smirking she straightened and continued on her usual wandering of the market. "Are you enjoying the academy?"

While she browsed she listen to the cheerful boy talk about his day and the things he did, and noted the hostile and rather cool behaviour directed with her. At one point Dorusaki Sousoke, a persistent man who did not take no for an answer, tried to drive the boy off. Aioka caught the hand that went to strike Naruto and smiled. The man went white as a sheet at the grip on his wrist and the violence he saw in her copper eyes.

"You are rather unpopular with the civilians," Aioka comment a few moments later. Naruto hurried to catch up to her, having froze to stare at the man who had urinated on himself for seemingly no reason.

"Yeah."

Aioka glanced down at the boy. His tone was subdued and very sad. The pain and loneliness in his gaze struck a familiar cord within her. Even after all this time she could recall the cruelness she had endured in her birth village.

"Would you like to stay for lunch?" She would offer him friendship, something she could tell he desperately wanted. The sheer joy that crossed his face softened her expression. "Come on then."

Lunch took almost an hour longer than normal but teaching the boy how to cut vegetables and explaining why they were important to eat was enjoyable.

"Thanks nee-chan, it's not ramen but that was good," the bright boy exclaimed, his tone borderline acceptable for inside.

Aioka smiled lightly. "You may call me Aioka, Uzumaki-san."

The boy beamed. "Call me Naruto! The future Hokage!"

The Genin-Commander laughed, delighted by the boys' enthusiasm. "Then, Future Hokage, will you bring me the dirty dishes?"

The two cleaned up from lunch while Naruto told her about what he was working on in the academy and how difficult the bunshin and kawarimi were for him.

"Why don't your instructors increase your Chakra control Exercises?" Aioka asked with a frown. The boy had a massive amount of chakra, the academy sensei's should have given him the leaf sticking and tree walking exercises toherwise he would never preform anything that required any sort of control. The blank look the boy gave her did nothing to endear herself to the Academy. Her time in Academy was filled with learning to read, she couldn't recall if the teachers were so negligent as they seemed today.

"Tell you what; meet me here around five in the evening and I'll give you some pointers. You should head home." Dusk was quickly closing in and Aioka wanted time to think. She wanted to figure out exactly why the usually jovial civilians of Konoha turned cruel around the boy.

"Really? You'll teach me?"

The quiver in the boys voice took Aioka by surprise, even if it shouldn't have. The boy likely had little to experience with people helping him.

Making sure the boy saw her coming, Aioka gently ruffled his hair. "Yeah, I will. Now hurry home, Naruto-san."

Over the next several weeks, Aioka met with Naruto every evening. Spending the majority of the time simply listening to him and holding conversations about the topics he brought up. One evening after the boy went home, Aioka wrestled with homicidal urges. Naruto was a Jinchuriki. Jailer of Kyubi no kitsune. Hated and abused for something beyond his knowledge or control.

There were few things Aioka truly hated, and even fewer that roused blood lust. Everything about Naruto's situation hit those triggers.

With an iron will, the young woman shoved emotion aside and looked at all the facts she had. Slowly she rationalized her way out of her rage. Kami, why did people have to be idiots?

Huffing wearily, Aioka looked at the graying sky with dark amusement. She had been up all night and hadn't even noticed the passing of time.

By the end of the day Aioka was back to normal. She understood why the people acted the way they did. Not everyone was strong enough to let go of pain; esecially when it was echoed by others and subtly encouraged in a mob mentality kind of way. In their hate of the Kyubi the people shared a kinship. And what person didn't want kinship?

 **A:CG**

Over the next four years Aioka taught Naruto as if he were one of her Genin. It was not an easy endeavor due to the boy's hyper personality and short attention span, but through exhausting him physically with exercises and mentally with observations she managed to slow his mind enough to help him focus. Through working with him she discovered several holes in his education. His literacy was sub-par, Aioka was actually amazed at how much the boy had managed to learn with his poor reading skills. His social skills were almost worse than hers had been. Aioka had many moments of deja vu while watching Naruto struggle with these lessons.

Almost a year after meeting the boy, Aioka introduced him to her father figure. Shikoru accepted the boy easily and attempted to teach the blonde Go and Shoji but gave that up for coaching him in hand dexterity when the short attention span kept interfering.

"Too much chakra, the sooner he get it under control, the easier it will be for him to think," was her father figures advice when she asked for an opinion on why the boy couldn't focus.

When helping Naruto with his homework Aioka was quietly enraged. Half the teachers were giving incomplete or outright wrong information. The other half just blatantly failed him even if he was right. Only one, an Umino Iruka, treated the boy impartially. Aioka promptly introduced the boy to the library under his advanced henge. The boy's henge was a full on transformation versus a light genjutsu. Frankly AIoka wished the boy could teach her it but since he couldn't articulate what he did she let it go.

Deception was something she was teaching the boy by challenging him to preform the longest prank of his life. Hide his skill. Hiding his new found abilities went against everything he wanted to do but Aioka promised him a years worth of ramen if he could fool his classmates and teachers until graduation. It was incredibly difficult yet at the same time effortless for him. The nurturing attention his neechan gave him made it easy to resist his more impulsive traits. As Naruto spent more time and learned new things with Aioka, he began to see beyond the kind and benevolent smile on his Jiji-chan's face, and saw the sadness, regret, pain, and exhaustion. When he had told Aioka what he had seen and asked why the old man would look at him like that, the kunoichi knelt to eye level.

"As Hokage, Suratobi-sama has had to make decisions that are best for the village," she paused, copper eyes saddening with a bitter smile as she combed her fingers through his hair, "but those decisions are often not kind to individuals. There are secrets about you and your family that cannot be told to you, Naruto. These secrets boy protect and curse you. One day you will learn what they are, and when you do I hope you can forgive."

Naruto suppressed his natural reaction of yelling accusations with an effort. Hurt clouded his thoughts for a moment, knowing Aioka knew why he was hate but unwilling- _no_ , he thought, _unable_ \- to tell him why. Pushing back his tangled thoughts he rolled her speach around, attempting to dissect her words for their hidden meaning like she was teaching him to. Looking underneath the underneath.

Why was the secret both protection and a curse? What was he being protected from? Obviously no the villagers. After a while he shrugged it away and smiled sadly at the woman he was coming to care for as a mother (though he wasn't ready to tell her that).

"Thanks neechan' when I do find out will you be there to help me figure it out?"

Aioka smiled, eyes tender as she hugged him. "Until I die, Uzumaki Naruto, you will always find me open to you."

Buried in her shoulder, tears leaked and washed the hurt away.

 **…**

Shout out to reviewers: **InARealPickle** and **LillianBlake (Guest).** You both made my day when I got these. Thanks!


	5. Graduation and a Sensei

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. Have permission from Vixen Tail and Hermionechan90 to use ideas from their stories.

 **A/N:** Another Canon character!

 **A/N2:** So, completely redid ¾'s of this chapter. I apologize for the previous version. It really was a sad excuse for a chapter.

 **...**

 **Graduation and a Sensei**

"Well, that was unexpected." Aioka stared at the Hitai-ate proudly displayed on pseudo brothers' forehead. Until last night both had been resigned to Naruto serving yet another year in the Academy. The instructors who sabotaged Naruto had wised to the fact that he could not make a bunshin and had managed to slip it into being used in the final test, permanently. Despite four years of continual chakra control exercises, Naruto was unable to make a Bunshin or perform any form of Genjutsu. He simply had too much chakra. It also did not help that his reserves were constantly growing.

Aioka had wanted to teach him the Kage Bunshin but had regretfully let that idea go. Teaching a civilian a Forbidden Technique, especially one she technically shouldn't know herself, was a one way ticket to trouble. It was very ironic that the very technique she wanted to teach him, was the one he learned during the Mizuki Incident.

"Are you okay, Kit?" The Incident had ripped open wounds that were just starting to scar. Through learning to think and analyze the actions/reactions of the people around him Naruto had discovered his tenant...and his parentage. Aioka vividly recalled that night. It had truly been the first time she had felt Terror. Konoha would never know how close it had come to utter destruction. That night Naruto forgave the village and the Hokage, but both had lost his respect. While he still loved his home and his jiji, he could no longer find it in himself to respect them. Since that night, Naruto struggle to maintain his Mask when faced with the Hokage.

The teen smiled faintly at the endearment Aioka had been calling him ever since she had figured out his secrets. When he had demanded if she had know his burden a year or so ago, it was her inquiry 'why do you think I called you Kit all the time?' that relaxed the rage that had been boiling.

"I'm okay, neechan," and he was, just a little shaken at how close he had come to losing Iruka. The man was the older brother he never had; even if the sensei didn't know the Naruto behind the mask.

Aioka carded her fingers through his hair. "But?"

The boy huffed, a weary smirk quirking his lips. "Can I invite Iruka over?"

The Commander shrugged even as her mind turned the request over in her mind. Pro's and Con's observed and sorted quickly.

Umino Iruka was a gentle soul and far more observant than most people would credit the Chunin. Aioka would not be surprised if the man already knew about Naruto's mask, however she was a little uneasy with meeting him. She liked that she was so unknown and that her Corp was ignored. Iruka was likely to get curious and if the Chunin looked closer at her Corp, so would others. The sensei was a man who everyone loved/respected/feared. The woman had seen Jonin cringe in the face of the man's ire.

"Neechan?"

Aioka pulled out of her thoughts with a wry smile. "I'm selfish, Naruto, I don't like sharing the things that are closest to me."

Naruto gave her an odd look. "Is that a no?"

Rolling her eyes she ruffled his hair. "It's a hesitation. Go on and bring him by sometime. You have team placements today don't you?"

Blue eyes widened and whipped to look at the clock on her wall. "I'm gonna be late!"

The Commander stared blankly at the suddenly empty space before her. Tremors shook her shoulders and she threw her head back and laughed. No matter how much the boy had matured he was still a little spaz ball.

Wiping her eyes the woman tried to control her giggles. "Never change Naruto," she implored the empty house with a smile. Shaking her head she went about cleaning up the dishes from breakfast. Naruto had barged into her home just as she was finished eating to tell her everything that had happened after they had parted ways yesterday.

The week of and after Graduation were the busiest for Aioka and her Lieutenants. Processing all the new paper work, setting up teams, visiting the teams who failed their Jonin test, and several other things would keep Head Quarters slightly chaotic for the next month.

Grabbing her Hitai-ate Aioka secured it around her neck. Today she would be holed up in her office. Hitai-ate color and placement were important in the Genin Corp. Color represent a Genin's primary function, placement their secondary. Aioka was unique in the fact her secondary changed day by day depending on what she needed to get done that day. Her color was Grey for Clerk (paper pushers) and since her Hitai-ate was around her neck it meant her secondary was also Clerk. Where she wore her Hitai-ate told her Corp where the likeliest places to find her would be.

 **A:CG**

"Oi! Iruka-sensei!"

Iruka smiled, recognizing the boisterous voice yelling on the other side of his door. Schooling his face into a scowl the Academy sensei yanked his door open. "Naruto! What have I told you about yelling inside?"

The cheeky blonde merely grinned slyly. "But I want to be just like you! You yell inside."

Humor danced in brown eyes. "That's because you drive me up the wall." His face softened to a genuine smile as he stepped aside. "Come in, Naruto. How did your team meeting go?"

The boy eagerly came in, animatedly telling him everything that happened. Spending minutes describing Sakura and Sasuke's expressions when their Jonin-sensei fell for the simple prank.

When the boy began complaining about his new sensei Iruka shushed him. "Hatake Kakashi is a very famous Jonin Naruto. You are very lucky to have him."

Naruto, strangely, didn't scoff as he normally did when Iruka contradicted him. "Just because he's famous doesn't mean he's going to be a good sensei. The guy was three hours late! You and all the other sensei's at the Academy were always on time."

Iruka paused, frowning in slight puzzlement. That was an odd statement from the blonde. Since when did punctuality ever bother Naruto?

"Are you okay Naruto?"

The blonde hesitated his expressions somewhat torn between uncertainty and wry amusement (a very strange combination). "Yeah, Sensei. Do you want to have dinner with me?"

The chunin did not believe him but knew not to push when Naruto lost his petulant tone that layered his everyday voice. Iruka had noticed minute changes in his young friend over the pass four years. Most obvious were the physical changes; no longer did bones bite Iruka's hand when he clasped the child's shoulders. Less obvious was the boy's temperament. It was only this year the Iruka had noticed that Naruto's boisterousness was no longer as genuine as it once had been.

"Of course. Ramen?" Iruka agreed only to choke on his tea at Naruto's rebuttal.

"Nah, I'm going to cook."

The wide eyed expression the chunin gave Naruto pulled gales of laughter from the blonde.

"You can cook?"

Naruto smothered very unmanly giggles and snorts. "Yeah. Been able to for a while, Sensei."

Puzzlement and a little bit of worry riddled Iruka's mind; recalling all the times Naruto declined learning to cook from him.

"Who taught you?"

Naruto calmed down and smiled mischievously. "Come to dinner at my place and you'll find out."

Iruka scowled. "Are you trying to set me up on a date or something, Naruto?"

The blonde's amused visage did nothing to ease the chunins suspicions. If Iruka wasn't familiar with the Blonde's signature he would be calling impostor by now. Naruto was behaving very out of character.

"Do you want me to bring anything?" Iruka finally agreed.

Naruto seemed to relax, alerting the scared man that the boy had been nervous of rejection. "You might want to bring something to drink. My tea selection isn't very good."

Iruka snorted. "Of course it isn't." The boy's pantry was usually bare of anything but cup ramen.

"Dinner will be ready in an hour. I've got Kage Bunshin cooking," Naruto explained at his elder's skeptical look.

"Well why don't you head home. I'm going to shower then I'll be right over."

Closing the door behind his former student, Iruka set about washing the day away and reflecting on Naruto's behavior. The teen had been off since last-nights encounter with Mizuki. It shouldn't be surprising. The boy had, after all, learned the secret many people hated him for. Naruto's behavior had been very stilted last night, almost fake. If it weren't for the very real pain and anger that had lit the preteens' eye when the Hokage showed up, Iruka would have almost believed that the boy had already known.

During team placements Naruto had been somewhat reserved, causing far less ruckus than expected over his earning Genin status. Actually, everything about the boy had been somewhat muted.

Now Iruka was worried. Maybe Naruto wasn't handling last night as well as he thought he was.

And who was this person Naruto wanted to introduce him to? All the way through dressing and locking up the house, the Chunin wracked his brain for any conversations about people Naruto claimed as important. Beyond the Hokage, Teuchi, and Ayame, Iruka couldn't think of anyone else.

Arriving at Naruto's apartment, Iruka felt the familiar bite of sorrow at the sight of the latest graffiti across the boys' door. Sighing he knocked.

It was not Naruto who answered.

"Shojikina-san?"

Aioka smiled at the bewilderment in the Chunin's voice. "Umino-san, welcome. Naruto is setting the table."

Iruka dumbly entered and replaced his shoes with the house slippers Naruto kept for him. Shojikina Aioka was a Career Genin. A good one. Many times over his years at the Mission Desk Iruka had wondered why the woman hadn't advanced. Any mission she ever did came back with glowing remarks and perfect reports. She was among his favorites to receive reports from because he never had to make her do it over.

Following the woman into the kitchen Iruka took in the sight with some disbelief. The table was covered with delicious smelling food. Miso soup, rice, pickled vegetables, and even sushi. However, it was Naruto himself that was the most surprising. The boy had shed his orange jumpsuit and had not worn any head gear. For a moment Iruka saw a completely different person.

"Naruto, are you wearing a henge?"

The smirk and chuckle seemed strangely out of place to Iruka.

"No, Sensei, I don't bother to wear a henge when I'm home." The boy answered then glanced between Aioka and him. "Do you know Aioka-nee, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka nodded distracted by Naruto's previous statement. Did that mean Naruto wore a henge when in public? "Not formally. I've seen Shojikina-san while working at the Missions Desk."

The boy nodded then motioned toward the stove. "Water is hot. Did you bring your tea?"

Iruka snapped out of his thoughts and regained his mental footing. Whatever was going on he would learn before he left tonight. "Hai, I can make it if you like."

Naruto agreed with a sheepish smile. "I can cook but brewing tea seems to be my nemesis. Aioka-nee has given up trying to teach me."

The woman made an amused noise as she passed Iruka the tea pot from its place on the table. "I have watched him do every step perfectly and the tea still comes out closer to poison than something palatable."

Iruka laughed when Naruto whined. He pretended there wasn't relief in that laugh because there was the Naruto he knew. And continued to laugh as the woman gleefully retold the many mishaps the blonde had had in the kitchen. Before Iruka knew it they were halfway through their meal, still happily swapping stories about each other interacting with the blonde.

"By the way, Naruto," Iruka began, wiping away tears of laughter, "the current food is amazing. I'm glad I didn't have to suffer through your early attempts."

Naurto beamed and pouted in turns, drawing more chuckles from the adults.

"When did you start teach him, Aioka-san?" sometime during the meal they had given the other permission to drop formalities.

AIoka smiled fondly at the whiskered boy. "Since the first day I met him four years ago."

Iruka mentally grabbed that information. Hadn't he been thinking earlier that he had seen changes happening over the last four years.

"So it's you who has been changing Naruto."

Naruto looked startled but the woman just smiled, approval warming her copper eyes. "I thought you would notice."

"You knew?"

Naruto and Aioka glanced each other for speaking at the same time but were quick to look back at Iruka for his reply.

The hope and fear in Naruto's voice was a little insulting. Did he expect Iruka to toss him aside after everything they've gone through together?

"Of course I've noticed, knucklehead. You're important to me."

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei," Naruto rasped, dragging a sleeve across his watering eyes.

"Why don't you two go in the living room and talk? I'll clean up," Aioka offered, smiling fondly at the tankful her otouto sent her.

The day was well over when Aioka and Iruka left Naruto's. For a while they walked in silence, Iruka having insisted on walking her home. She was not thrilled about letting him know where she was living but was going to accept it. Naruto would want her to answer anything the man asked.

Aioka was still uncomfortable with this situation and it was to her chagrin that it had absolutely nothing to do with worry for Naruto. She had been ready for professional scrutiny from the Hokage when she delivered the petition on behalf of her Corp. This personal change was off putting.

"Thank you." Aioka glanced to her right. Iruka was looking straight ahead. "Thank you for doing what I was too cowardly to do."

"I wouldn't call it cowardly. You have managed something many villagers haven't even attempted." She smiled at his puzzled look. "You've separated the Jail from the Prisoner. I'm sure you have lost people that night but you no longer hold that over his head. That is a courageous thing."

"Why did you choose to help Naruto?" Iruka asked, breaking the comfortable silence once again.

"I was Naruto in my village; minus a prisoner," Aioka said simply. "Ever since I escaped that hell, I refuse to see another treated how I was. No child deserves to be punished for circumstances beyond their understanding or control."

"Has Naruto taken you to meet the Hokage?"

Aioka shook her head, not too surprised by the abrupt change in conversations. The Hokage, after all, was for all appearance Naruto's most important person. Why wouldn't Naruto want to have his Important people meet? "No; Naruto took my challenge to make a mask as far as he could. He thought if he could keep secrets from the ones he held the most dear, he would be ' _the best ninja in the world_ '." She snorted at her own impression of an eight year old Naruto.

"He doesn't do anything by halves does he?" Iruka mused rhetorically

Aioka gave a bark of laughter and answered anyway. "No, he doesn't." The boy grabbed onto her lessons and took them as far as he could and then some.

Turning down her street Aioka resigned herself to befriending the man. Naruto would ask questions if she didn't.

Friends; she honestly did not have anyone she could call a friend. She had students, acquaintances, and family. It was probably time she tried.

Stopping in front of her home, a quaint two bedroom house, Aioka faced the chunin. "Naruto and I usually share dinner most nights. You are more than welcome to join us." As soon as the words left her mouth Aioka felt that she had just broke some social rule. And judging by the startled expression and blush on the man's face, she definitely had.

 _You'd think after eleven year I would have a grasp of social propriety. But noooo,_ Aioka thought to herself despairingly and stifled all embarrassment from leaking into her body language.

"Aa, perhaps. Thank you for the invitation, Aioka-san."

Aioka inwardly cringed at the awkwardness she unintentionally caused. "Have a good night, Iruka-san."

Once out of sight and safely in her home, Aioka buried her face in her hands as a blush burned her cheeks. That right there was why she did not bother trying to make friends. Once she attempted to cross the professional line she was more awkward than an ox calf learning to walk.

Hopefully constant embarrassment wasn't in her immediate future. She had more than enough of that while in the Academy.

…

 **A/N:** Okay, much, much happier with this version of the chapter.

How did I do with Iruka?

 **InARealPickle** thank you for your review. It was a polite kick in the pants. Don't know if that was the intended effect but this chapter is the result.

 **Key for Genin Corp Hitai-ate code:**

Color-function-placement (Canon Character example)

Black-Runner- traditional (Iruka) or hairband (Sakura)

Navy-Scout-Bandana (Genma or Izumo)

Maroon-Trainer-Thigh (?)

Dark Green-Handyman-Arm (Shikamaru)

Grey-Clerk-Neck (Hinata) or Belt (Gai/Lee)

 **Example:** a Career Genin with a black Hitai-ate worn on their thigh has the primary function of a Runner with the secondary function of a Trainer. Or a Maroon Hitai-ate worn traditionally had the primary function of a Trainer and secondary as a Runner. More on this later or in the revision.


	6. Team 7 and Sparring

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I have Vixen Tail's and Hermionechan90's permission to use aspects of their stories (you know which ones). On _Kage Bunshin Shogi_ : this was not my creation. I read it in a story here on ff net once a long time ago. If you know what story it is please tell me so I can give the author proper credit.

 **A/N:** If you haven't read the updated version of Chap. 5. Please do so and hopefully you'll like it better than its original version.

Long chapter ahead!

…

 **Team 7 and Sparring**

The first thing the Corp did when receiving fresh graduates was a series of test to determine what they would best be suited for. Mornings were dedicated to physical tests, gauging strength and endurance, trapping skills, katas, weapons, etc. Noon was broke for lunch and one to whenever the recruits finished was written test that covered everything from first year to last year theory, history, and whatever else was paper applicable.

It was during the written test portion that Naruto found her. All but snarling in aggravation. "How can I help?"

Aioka motioned for him to stand by her. "Boy in green, tell me about him." As they worked on Naruto's observation skills, the boys slowly began to relaxed. The roiling heat of the Jinchuriki's signature gradually cooled to something closer to exasperated resignation.

"My Teammates are Idiots."

Aioka's lips twitched, both at the blunt statement from the boy next to her and the rather impressive attempts to cheat happening among the recruits. "How so?"

She recalled who his teammates were. Uchiha Sasuke, Rookie of the Year, and Haruno Sakura, Kunoichi of the Year. From what Naruto had told her about them over the years, Aioka was not impressed in the least. The last Uchiha was in desperate need of discipline and a therapist, but with the political bull that surrounded him the village left the child to flounder. Haruno was a fan girl. Why the Academy wasn't nipping that syndrome in the butt was a puzzle that exasperated Aioka.

The following account of Naruto's day was equally amusing as it was troubling. How had Haruno made Kunoichi of the year? From both Naruto's reports and Aioka's own observations of the girl, there was little to recommend her beyond her (questionable) intelligence.

"Give your Sensei time, Kit." Hopefully the Jonin would be able to make something out of the other two. "As unorthodox as the Jonin seems, he is among the best the village has."

Naruto acknowledged the statement with scowl. "Iruka-sensei said the same thing yesterday. I don't see it."

Aioka gently bopped his on the head. "Think, Kit. Why would a Jonin of his caliber act like that?"

She knew a lot about the Hatake. He was one of the first signatures she memorized. It was hard not to when the man spent so much time at the Memorial stone atop the Hokage Monument near where she stretched her Senses. Since he was among the first, he was one she more effort to learn about. Doubly so due to how hard it had been to get concrete facts on him. The Jonin's mask ran deep and had so many facets Aioka wasn't sure where it stopped and the man began.

"To make a fool of himself?"

Aioka gave the boy a flat look. "Really?"

Naruto grimaced, actually thought about it and promptly groaned. "I just called myself a fool didn't I?"

"In a roundabout way; yes, yes you did."

Naruto smiled distractedly as he mulled over this revelation. His Jonin-sensei wore more than just the mask that obscured his face; he wore a Mask much like Naruto's own. The Jinchuriki wondered if the older man's mask was more than to make people underestimate and dismiss him. His own Mask of Pranking Idiot wasn't a mask at one time. Was it the same for the Jonin? Did the man use a facet of his personality to hide the shinobi?

Naruto supposed he would just have to find out.

Aioka smirked in approval when she saw a sharp, slow, smile cross the young shinobi's face. The boy was thinking again.

 **A:CG**

It wasn't often that he felt genuine surprise. Feigning such expressions was far more normal than the real thing; which was probably why it took him a moment to recognize the emotion.

Uzumaki Naruto, Dead Last, King of Pranks had a Mask. One so good the Copy-nin had missed it for two weeks. He resolutely ignored the fact that for those two weeks that it was all he could do to call his Genin by their names and not that of the ghost who overlaid everything they did. If the blonde hadn't slipped up yesterday, Kakashi was sure he would still be drowning in his past.

Flipping the page of his porn sleeved book on child psychology, Kakashi wondered when the boy had developed his mask. Most shinobi formed masks as coping methods at some point, but it had been a long time since Kakashi had seen a mask on one so young. Since the end of the Third War shinobi developed their masks later and later in life.

Naruto's slip had been for a moment-blue eyes flashed, features smoothed to nothing, muscles deceptively loose and still, the promise of annihilation charging the air-and then the obnoxious idiot returned. That moment had taken Kakashi to another time and place when such an expression had ended in the deaths of Konoha's enemies.

The boy had caught his attention.

Watching that brat now, Kakashi had to remind himself that 'yes' he really had seen something yesterday because the idiocy on display was making it difficult to remember. Today their mission was one the Genin Corp usually covered. Kakashi wanted to gauge how well his Genin did with unreasonable demands from clients. The old woman they would be working for was an embittered widow with no family. Her spouse had secured her care through repetitive D-rank missions paid by some investments he had made while alive.

The mission was awful.

The woman refused to acknowledge Naruto (unsurprising) which lead to Sakura asking questions and making speculations, berating Naruto and demanding that he apologize for what ever he done to offend the old woman. Sasuke ignore everything, including the old woman's attempt to speak with him. The blonde was worryingly silent, a grin pasted on his face.

Once the mission was done Kakashi was quick to usher his team out of the civilian district. All three of his Genin need better social etiquette. Under the circumstance Naruto had done as well as his mask allowed him by not antagonizing their client. Sakura's behavior was the most disappointing because, of the three, she was the most normal and should have behaved. Sasuke's cold demeanor was going to have to be buried if the boy didn't want to get hugely reprimanded in the future.

A wave of weary bitterness suddenly washed over the Jonin. Who was he to correct them? He couldn't even correct his own flaws, how could he ask his students to do what he himself was unwilling to do?

Entering the Missions Office brought a sense of relief as his thoughts were distracted by habitual scanning his surroundings. A team of Corp Genin were just walking away from returning their mission scroll (appeared to have just return from an outpost run if their packs were any indicator), four Jonin were receiving missions, and a Chunin team were turning in their completed mission.

A subtle change in one of his student drew Kakashi's attention back to the Career Genin. Naruto recognized them and had, for a moment, dropped his mask to acknowledge them.

The Genin were nondescript at first, even third glance, but something about the lone kunoichi kept drawing his attention even as he handed over the missions scroll.

The woman was forgettable as many Career kunoichi were yet Kakashi's instincts would not allow him to completely dismiss her. Inhaling,he tried to catch her scent.

"Neh, Kakashi-sensei, can we go?"

Kakashi looked down at Naruto, his gaze far more lazy than he felt. "Hmm?" This was another slip out of character. Naruto didn't usually ask for permission to leave. Judging by the glance Sasuke gave the blonde, he noticed as well.

"I want you guys to meet someone."

Thoroughly intrigued, he shrugged his agreement and had to stifle a grin when the Blonde gave a grin that was reminiscent of a certain red head Kakashi once knew.

Following the blonde, Kakashi's awareness of the kunoichi sharpened. She didn't have a signature.

"Aioka-nee, this is my Jonin-sensei Hatake Kakashi and my team mates, Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. Guys this is Shojikina Aioka."

The woman bowed politely. "Hello Team 7." She motioned to the the Shinobi stand by her. "Buske Noki, Yuzu Deidre, and Mosoki Kei."

The young men bowed and offered their greetings.

"I didn't know you knew Naruto, Shojikina-san," Sakura said, curiosity in her face.

Kakashi was mildly relieved his student recognized the woman. He was very perturbed by her lack of signature, though her scent was wholesome. The Hatake was surprised that the woman's scent was strongly in the Alpha category. The stronger a person's leadership and charisma the stronger the Alpha scent. This woman's Alpha scent was stronger than most Jonin Kunoichi.

The three shinobi standing with her fell more in the Beta category. Very odd for Career Genin.

Their discretion with their awed glances his way was appreciated. Most people were not so polite with their hero worship. He was, however, uneasy with the Kunoichi's complete lack of said hero worship. It was not an ego thing for him to notice people's attention to himself, but a gauge of the person's mentality. Most people who showed nothing when meeting him, either did not know who he was, knew him well, or did not care. It was very rare when someone was dismissive of him and usually meant trouble.

"Hai, Naruto is very familiar to Career Genin," the teasing smile and hair ruffle spoke of far more familiarity than simple acquaintances. "You could say he's somewhat of job security for us."

Naruto scowled at the teasing but did not hide the pleased gleam in his eyes. It was good that the Genin Corp didn't resent Naruto and his pranks, if odd.

"Can we spar, Aioka-nee? Kakashi-sensei? Team 7 against one of neechan's teams?"

Kakashi settled more fully into his customary slouch. That wasn't a bad idea. His team did need more experience spar as a team and it might help boost their confidence in each other if they spar a team they could beat. And it would give him an opportunity to study the Kunoichi more.

One of the three shinobi spoke up. "We're game."

The woman looked at her team, all three dust from the road but didn't seem tired at all. "I'm meeting my dad for lunch; two hours from now alright Hatake-jonin?"

He eye smiled, "Sound perfect."

The woman smiled slightly, "Thank you Hatake-Jonin."

With a lackadaisical wave he acknowledged her and then dismissed his team. "Training Ground 7, Shojikina-san." With that said he sought the nearest ANBU on village patrol. He had a Genin to learn.

Aioka turned to her team once they were outside, absently noting that Naruto's Jonin-sensei was with Azakoda Sorra an ANBU who regularly kept watch in village, and clapped Noki's shoulder. "I'm going to lunch."

The wiry young man smirked and dipped his chin slightly in acknowledgement that she was leaving him in charge. "We will meet you at Training Ground 7 in two hours, Taicho."

Nodding in approval, she left them to scout out their opponents and the meeting place. The three were the second team she trained after joining the Corp. Each had trained up a team or two themselves but preferred working together.

Slipping her hands into her pockets, the copper eyed Genin lazily made her way to the Akimichi restaurant she and her father loved. It was where her tou-san had met Ichika.

This would be the first time in almost a month that the two of them had seen each other. Between both their schedules it was difficult to make time to meet.

As she meandered, the kunoichi greeted random people by name and wondered why the Copy-nin was tailing her. Huffing she rolled her eyes at herself. Of course the Jonin would follow an unknown who was seemingly close with one of his student who happened to be the village Jinchuriki.

Arriving at the restaurant Aioka dismissed the man from her mind.

"Aioka-chan."

"Hi Aioka-chan."

Several of the staff called their welcome and she waved and called her own greetings as she went to her usual booth.

Nara Shikoru stood, a lazy smile on his lips. "Hello Borei-chan."

Aioka stepped into his offered embrace with a quiet sigh, mild everyday tension slipping away. "Missed you tou-san."

Shikoru tightened his embraced and dropped a kiss on his daughters bandanna covered hair. "You too.

"What team were you leading today?"

Aioka chuckled as they sat. It hadn't taken her father figure long to decipher the meaning behind how she wore her Hitai-ate when she first implemented the new dress code. Today her Hitai-ate was telling him the she was leading teams, when she wore it on her forehead in the traditional fashion it meant she was part of a team but acting as support rather than a leader (she usually did that to assess one of her Genin's leadership skills).

"My second one. We will be sparing with Team 7, later today."

For the next hour they shared a meal and traded details about their lives since the last time they saw each other. Between new recruits and meeting Iruka, Aioka had a lot to say. Shikoru caught her up on how Ichika and Mikimaru (his daughter) were doing.

"Thank you tou-san," Aioka sighed in content, wishing for a moment that she had the Nara name to get away with a nap. "Lunch was fantastic."

Shikoru smiled lightly, his body lounging loosely in the booth across from her. "Anytime Borei-chan. Bring the Kit by tonight. Ichika-chan misses you two and the boy hasn't met Miki-chan yet."

Aioka hummed an acknowledgement. Naruto came with her to visit her parents as often as he could but hadn't since Miki-chan was born a few months ago. "Well, off I go," she groaned happily as she stretched.

Shikoru tilted his head back as she stood, a little too comfortable to move just yet. "Be safe, tell those boys I say hello."

Aioka dropped a kiss on his cheek. "Will do."

"Borei-chan." Aioka paused a few steps away. "You're ghosting again."

The woman huffed sheepishly and pushed her signature out, privately amused when Hatake flinched a little across the street. "Thanks tou-san."

A quick trip via roof tops took Aioka to training ground 7, where her shinobi teammates were lightly stretching. Sweat beading on their skin as a tell tale sign of a recently finished warm up.

"How was Nara-san Taicho?" Noki inquired, leaning his head on the ground while sitting in a full splits.

Aioka gently pressed Kei's lower back forward and down, aiding him in his stretch. "Pleasant; he says hello. Deidre, flatten out, you're rounding you back."

The young man obeyed with a low groan, trying to press his belly into the ground without breaking from the splits.

Due to their build and muscle mass, Kei and Deidre had difficulty staying flexible compared to the more compact and wiry Noki.

"What are our limits in this spar?"

Aioka release Kei when the three changed stretches and idly began twirling a shuriken with chakra, rolling the weapon over and between her fingers. It was a mindless exercises for her.

"Don't hospitalize them. Other than that I don't care. Naruto-kun wants his team to see what team work looks like and we want a potential Jonin sponsor for the Exams."

Various Runners and Scouts had picked up conversations about the Chunin Exams coming up in a couple months. It was Aioka's hope that if enough of her teams got sponsors/vouchers and a well craft petition that the Hokage would allow Corp Teams to participate. She had been working on the petition for a few weeks and had been combing through it with various clan friends.

"Is Hatake-Jonin aware of that?" Noki inquired, pulling an arm across his chest to stretch a shoulder.

"Probably."

The three gave their Commander a dry look. To most, Aioka's tone would pass off as nonchallant but these three had been with her long enough to read her more subtle inflections. At the moment she was amused and mocking the Jonin hiding in the trees behind them for accepting a spar against a team he knew nothing about. If they hadn't been Aioka's personal students, they probably wouldn't have sensed the man but Aioka had insisted that they pick up some form of sensing, be it chakra, scent, sound, or sight.

With various sounds of amusement the three sat down to meditate until Team 7 arrived. Aioka learned meditation from Shikoru when she was younger as an alternative to chakra depletion that her birth father had taught her. Meditation had many uses; ranging from calming tempers to increasing chakra reserves, and was the most undervalued exercises at a shinobi's disposal.

The three shinobi were using meditation to review what they knew and had learned about their opponents.

Five minutes before the two hours were up, Haruno Sakura arrived to a scene she found at odd with her preconceived notions of kunoichi. As an inexperienced civilian girl, Sakura had never seen a kunoichi train and had developed the belief that kunoichi never trained with boys around. Because of this belief she felt her sensei was being unreasonable in making her sweat in front of Sasuke-kun. It never really crossed her mind about when and how other kunoichi trained. So the sight of Shojikina Aioka-a Career Genin she had grown up seeing chatting with people in the market-doing push ups from a handstand while her teammates sat napping was strange.

Hesitating a few yards off, the pinkette watched the older kunoichi with growing curiosity. Were those kunai balanced on her feet?

Sasuke arrived and effectively took Sakura's attention just as she was starting to puzzle out how a person built up to doing such an exercise.

Aioka took a firm hold of the kunai with chakra as she bent her knees and lowered her feet by her head, allowing the weapons to dangle a moment before dropping them and stood up via a walk over. Vertical push ups had lost their challenge year ago but combining the exercise with balancing kunai without chakra was a different story.

Behind her, Noki and the other two came out of their meditation to greet the younger Genin and Naruto when he came barreling into the area a moment later.

For the next hour the seven Genin waited for Kakashi to join them. During this time the Career Genin introduce Kage Bunshin Shogi to Team 7. Aioka had invented the game to better help Naruto understand the game. Having something a little more physically interactive had help the blonde immensely.

Kei and Sakura were in the middle of a game when the silver haired man finally appeared.

"Hatake-Jonin," Aioka greeted after Naruto and Sakura were done yelling at him.

The masked shinobi gave a lazy two finger salute in reply. "Alright my cute little Genin," Kakashi cheerfully turned to his students, "Shojikina-san and I are going to plan you torture. Warm up."

The three preteens obeyed, the older three mimicking them to loosen up, and Aioka followed the Jonin out of unenhanced hearing range.

"Has your team sparred Jonin track Genin before?"

Aioka shrugged faintly, "Naruto spars regularly with a number of my Genin." As did a number of branch members of various clans Aioka was on friendly terms with but the Jonin didn't need to know that.

"Individual spars first then," Kakashi said only to lift his only visible brow at the faint frown on the kunoichi's face at his announcement. "You disagree."

A loose shrug echoed her Nara influences. "I try to make spars as close to genuine combat as I can. In reality you won't have the opportunity to preview your opponent's skills."

The brow relaxed and his onyx eye became deceptively lazy. Clearly this woman was more than the average Career Genin. Her thought process was more in line with a Jonin-sensei.

"Sounds good," with that said the duo returned to the waiting Genin and Kakashi set the rules.

"Stay in the training ground. All skills allowed. Don't kill each other. First team with two members unable to continue wins. Hajime."

Before Team 7 had coiled themselves to leap away, all three were face first in the dirt with shinobi on their backs and kunai at their throats.

Kakashi blinked slowly. "That was awful Team 7. Team Shojikina, wait two minutes before engaging."

The younger men voiced their agreement and helped their younger opponents up. Sakura was dazed, Sasuke irritated, and Naruto pouting.

"Go."

After the allotted time Kakashi watched his team get decimated repeatedly by the older Genin. The Career Genin never used the same tactics twice; twisting Sasuke and Sakura into psychological knots with mild KI and taunts. The boys had solid teamwork. If Kakashi didn't know otherwise, he would say they were a seasoned Chunin cell. Other than Ebisu, Kakashi had never seen E and D rank ninjutsu used with such mastery, or creativity. More often than not the teens never used hand seals. Kakashi also learned about seven different ways to use Fire Flicker, an E-Rank Fire Jutsu.

They drove Sakura to every end of the emotional spectrum with their usage of henge. Forcing her to spar Sasuke look alikes or Yamanaka Ino and, in one instance, a civilian man with a bizzar purple pink hair cut. Each henge was accompanied by impressive acting skills.

With Sasuke they henged into random females and acted as fangirls. Driving the boy into fits of embarrassment and rage. It was very disturbing when Kakashi recalled that the henged girls were in fact teenage boys.

Naruto tried to assist his teammates but was dismissed as a non threat by the older Genin. The Jonin winced at the screaming rant that the blonde spewed but thought he saw amusement in the whiskered blonde's eyes.

The three young men were frighteningly familiar with his Teams' buttons.

When they moved on to individual spars, Kakashi let Aioka lead at her request and admired her methods. Under her, the spars weren't the directionless slug outs he usually allowed. They were an exercises of analysis, KI desensitization, and temper control. Every time a spar ended Aioka had the observing Genin give an analysis of the two sparring. What could they have done better? What exercises could they do to improve?

Throughout the spars Aioka leaked KI of varying intensity and made anyone who lost their temper stop and tell her why.

It was clear that Aioka's students were miles ahead of his own. They would not get his sponsorship (yes he had been listening to their conversations earlier) but he would put in a recommendation...after he figured out when the Corp had been permitted to participate in the Chunin Exams and why hadn't he known this.

After his team left Kakashi listened as the Career Genin debriefed. The shinobi reported what they had done the moment they had left the tower. Which was not the hanging out that Kakashi had expected. The boys had gathered intel on his team and had used what they learned to win.

His team had never stood a chance. A rueful and bitter smile twisted beneath his mask; he had learned far more than he thought he would and none of it was what he thought it would be.

"Hatake-Jonin?"

Kakashi came out of his thoughts, noting that he and Aioka were alone. "You are an excellent teacher, Shojikina-san."

The woman smiled lightly. "Thank you. Do you have any questions?"

He did, but he would rather figure them out then ask. "No, I have a lot to think about already."

Aioka dipped her head in acknowledgement. "If you want another spar, any of my Corp are available. Just ask." With that invitation the woman left at a leisurely walk.

Using shunshin to get to his flat Kakashi noted that the kunoichi had referred to the Genin Corp as 'hers'.

"Just who are you, Shojikina Aioka?"

 **...**

 **A/N:** Question: how do I go about getting a Beta? I've never worked with one before and I think it would be a good idea to start.

Thank you all for following and favoriting! It always makes my day to get emails telling me someone new is reading this =D


	7. A Stalker and Resignation

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I use ideas from _Deja vu no Jutsu_ and _Inoue Shiori_ with the author's permission.

 **A/N:** I have a Beta! A huge "Thank you!" to **Kyrie Twilight** for helping me with this chapter.

* * *

 **A Stalker and Resignation**

Aioka smirked at the dead-to-the-world heap on her couch. It had been a week since Naruto asked for a spar between his team and hers. Since then, the blonde was exhausted like he hadn't been since his first month learning from Aioka. Apparently, his sensei had liked her sparring methods and had taken a more active approach to his team's training.

Pulling a throw blanket from a linen closet, the woman contemplated the paperwork she brought home. For the sake of efficiency (and her sanity), she usually delegated it to her Lieutenants. Financials went to Accounting, vacation requests to Scheduling etc. Aioka received summaries from each department and frequently met with the Enforcement Division of her Corp.

Aioka felt the bite of sorrow that accompanied the memory of why such a division was necessary. She had had many friends and acquaintances among the Uchiha Clan before the Massacre. Her gift of empathy drawing many of the bitter souls to her. Aioka could still recall the paralyzing sickness that plagued her the night of the slaughter. She had been stretching out her sense to the max and had felt every single life die. It was a terrible thing to feel a life end in the manner she could. A terrible thing made all the worse by her suspicions of the she did not want to dwell on.

After the massacre, she had quietly expanded her Corps duties to include that of the former police force. It still bothered Aioka that her Corp had to step in to fill the void the Uchiha Police had left, and downright disturbed her that no one had looked twice at what she had done.

It had all started when her Corp had immediately began running interference with the civilians when details of the Massacre hit the streets. Details Aioka knew to be incomplete but was not willing to challenge. She did not have the clout, nor backing, to challenge her Hokage. In the days and weeks following the tragedy, Aioka and her lieutenants had spent exhausting hours assuaging the civilian's fears and talking many of the merchants down from taking their business elsewhere. In an effort to keep the Corp running smoothly, Aioka had created a temporary division of Genin to handle the situation. Those Genin were the ones who were the best at reading people and subtle manipulations. Individuals would mingle with the civilians and simply talk to them, gently rationalizing and negating whatever fears they had about being murdered in their sleep. As time passed, the civilians began to bring issues to the Corp that they had once taken the Uchiha.

When Aioka realized what was happening, she decided to accept it. If the higher ups weren't stopping them, they must not have a problem with it. T&I had seemed to take on any shinobi policing, but nothing had been done to see to the civilians.

The Enforcement Division remained strictly in the civilian districts. They monitored any criminal activity, only interfering to head off any violence or destruction of property. As unpleasant as drug rings and yakuza were, they did benefit Konoha in a way; through them, information on other criminals came, and their money eventually went into Konoha's coffers. More than once, the Corp had garnered money through fines. The Corp had tabs on every civilian criminal dealings, only curbing the activity when it leaned toward violence. They did not stop drug dealing, but they did stop violent money collectors. Dealers and buyers were both fined if such intervention was necessary. The money was then rolled into the Corp funds. Aioka had a team of Clerks review all laws surrounding fines to make sure everything was legal.

An approaching signature drew Aioka's attention from a request form submitted by the Education Division, who were responsible for any remedial work new recruits required. Setting her paperwork down with a smile, the twenty-three-year-old went to greet her father at the door.

"Tou-san, welcome," Aioka murmured warmly, keeping her voice low to not disturb the still sleeping blonde.

Shikoru looked confused at her volume only to huff a chuckle when she motioned to the motionless lump on her couch. "Ichika-chan has invited you and Naruto to dinner. My teammates, their families, and a few of Ichika's friends will be there too."

Aioka smiled fondly. Nara Ichika, formerly Akimichi, had fallen in love with her when Shikoru had taken Aioka to the restaurant the Akimichi civilian had worked at. Ichika had promptly done the same with Naruto when Aioka had brought the boy to the same restaurant shortly after they had met.

Shikoru's teammates: an Akimichi kunoichi named Hisa, and a Yamanaka shinobi named Kazuo- both of minor branches of their clans, therefore foregoing the main branch tradition of having 'Cho' or 'Ino' as a part of their names (Nara's had it easy; the tag 'Maru' went with everything)-were like an aunt and uncle to Aioka. She was pretty sure Naruto would get along with them and their children without a problem.

"We will be there. Would you like anything?" she asked, ushering him into the kitchen.

Shikoru declined, chuckling when a whistling snore escaped the sleeping blonde. It was good to see the boy being cared for. It was Konoha's greatest failure (next to the fall of Uzushio) to allow the Yondaime's heir and sacrifice to suffer as he had. Not that many knew of Naruto's relation to Konoha's hero.

The majority of the Nara Clan made the connection between the Yellow Flash and the Jinchuriki. The physical resemblance, mixed with a certain red head's penchant for pranks, was hard to ignore. How people missed it was beyond him. It certainly hadn't taken Aioka very long to figure it out.

A wave of shame and pride washed over him as he recalled his daughter's abrupt withdrawal from the clans. When she had approached him after a week of avoidance, he was stunned by the discussion that followed. The, at the time, eighteen-year-old had not only figured out two S-Ranked secrets, but had done so within a month of meeting the boy. The venting she did was painful: opening his eyes to the danger everyone was in by alienating the boy, and the shame they were bring upon themselves by betraying their Yondaime. To Aioka's credit, she did listen to his explanation behind the orders all clans were given; even though she pointed out the loopholes they could have used. They, eventually, came to an understanding that the Sandaime Hokage had lost her respect and she did not agree with the Noble Clan's choices, but she did not hate them. She had then went and grabbed the loopholes surrounding Naruto with both hands, and began molding Naruto into a shinobi who had a chance of fulfilling his parents legacy. The transformation was wonderful to watch. The control the boy was gaining over himself was astounding. The changes were gradual (or hidden) enough that no one but those closest to him would notice.

Shikoru knew that if the boy's sensei took him seriously, Naruto would be a force to reckon with.

A faint blur in the Nara's vision drew him from the mindless wandering of both his thoughts and eyes. For a moment the shadow user started at the kitchen window. Why was there a genjutsu on Aioka's window?

"Borei-chan?"

"Hmm?"

Shikoru glanced curiously at the glass..

"Ah, Hatake-Jonin has taken an interest in my relationship with Naruto." Aioka gave her father a dry look when something like displeasure crossed his face. "It's about time someone started getting nosy, Tou-san. It's rather concerning I've managed to do so much without anyone noticing."

Shikoru agreed with his daughter, but couldn't help be feel protective. Hatake Kakashi did have a reputation of being a pervert.

"I'll wake Naruto. Should I bring anything?"

Shikoru snorted. "You know the answer to that. Stop asking."

Aioka laughed and went to wake her young friend. Ichika continually insisted that Aioka leave any and all food to her, insisting that Aioka worked hard enough she shouldn't have to cook any more often than she had to. Aioka knew that is she let her, the older woman would cook every day for her.

Later, the Genin Commander watched the whiskered blonde interact with her adopted family and Ichika's guests. The boy had an inherently joyful disposition that quickly won over the adults who hadn't met him. By the time the visit was over, the kids were exhausted from playing ninja with Naruto and the parents pleased that bed time would be an easy affair.

"That was fun, nee-chan," Naruto said between jaw cracking yawns. Normally, when he visited Shikoru-ji and Ichika-baachan, it was just the four of them. Meeting other branch members of different clans had been interesting and a little intimidating. It was especially awesome that he got to meet his new imouto.

"My family adores you, if you can't tell. I think Kaa-chan just about melted watching you play with Miki-chan," Aioka teased, smiling at the boys' please blush.

"I like babies." Naruto's grin dimmed as he added, "But most people won't let me near them."

Suppressing the usual bite of anger toward the populence, Aioka wrapped an arm around the preteen's shoulders. "If I ever have kids, you will get first dibs on babysitting duties."

The startled laugh of delight out of the Jinchuriki was exactly what Aioka wanted.

"Where are you staying tonight: my place or yours, Kit?"

 **A:CG**

The next morning found Aioka in her training field, an abandoned training ground near the Uchiha Compound, running through self-made katas.

Hatake Kakashi was steadily getting more and more bold with his stalking; he spent all day shadowing her at HQ two days ago. That day, she had been standing in for one of the chakra instructors and was talking the new recruits through their misconceptions about chakra theory and usage.

Earlier this morning, before Naruto left to wait at training ground 7, the Jounin had been around to see her drilling Naruto on his chakra control by having him spar one of her shadow clones on the ceiling of HQ's meeting hall. The Jounin's emotions had been rather all over the place while watching them. She wondered how long it would be before others started to look into what she was doing.

This discovery was a long time coming and she was a little worried about how certain members of the upper echelon would react to how much she had reformed the Genin Corp.

Since Uzushi Ko had handed over Command and disappeared, Aioka had never been acknowledged by anyone outside her Corp. Her predecessor had vanished after the ink dried on the Certificate of Rank that they both signed to transfer the title of Genin Commander to her. Leaving her to guess at a lot of her duties based off what she found in his office and never informed about who she was accountable to.

The council, whenever she would have to deal with them, wouldn't be able to do much to her without angering the bulk of the civilians and the branch members of several notable clans. The changes she had made weren't illegal, per se, but probably required some sort of approval she likely never would have gotten, if she had asked. On paper, the current Genin Corp was its own authority: able to act on the sole authority of the Genin commander. So, she did the ninja thing, and didn't ask. If the result didn't impress enough of the right people, Aioka knew she would probably be in a very uncomfortable position. Most people did not appreciate their control being usurped. If she had wanted to, she could have torn the very foundation out from under Konoha; instead, she had strengthened it and sealed it against their enemies.

Whatever happened, would happen. She was not ashamed of what she had done, she just hoped those connected to her would not receive backlash if the Hokage took offense.

Folding into a stretch, Aioka finally acknowledged her stalker by glancing to where he was standing in plain sight. Whatever the silver haired Jonin had learned from Azkoda-san the day they met hadn't sated his curiosity. Which stumped her; because, the man could have gone to ANBU headquarters, and learned everything the village had on her there. He was, afterall, Wolf-san, the most lethal, revered, and trusted ANBU taichou in recent history, even if he was retired. She could sense his signature behind that animal mask, back when he wore it, even though ANBU masked their chakra signatures while on duty. Masking hid nothing from her. Yes, it lessened the intensity, but never hid it completely from her abilities. At times, she still got overwhelmed by sensory overload, but only when she was in a densely crowded area and had misjudged her range. In the market place on a normal day, she had a max range of two hundred feet, while, in the farm lands and unpopulated lands between villages, she could sense up to three miles. It was a skill she did not advertise. Neither her parents, nor Naruto, knew the extent of her ability. And she never planned to let anyone know. The political ramification of it getting out would be worse than if things went south with her Corp. They wouldn't just execute her for what she did with the Corp; they would breed her for her ability and torture her to know everything she knew. And she knew more than enough to destroy Konoha in a multitude of ways if she ever broke under enemy hands.

Completing her stretches, the copper eyed woman rose to her feet and faced her stalker. The Jonin leaned against a tree, an orange book obscuring most of his already masked face. Silver hair rustled in the light breeze, brushing the dark cloth of his slanted hitai-ate while his uncovered eye roved slowly over his page. For all appearances ignoring her.

Taking advantage of the man's lack of acknowledgement, she took the time to observe his appearance. The shinobi was a man of many layers, both literally and figuratively, and nothing he wore was without purpose: be it a persona or a physical item.

"Maa, staring is rude, Shojikina-san."

The drawl drew Aioka from studying the Uzumaki swirl, and recalling the history behind the symbol, to the onyx eye that had yet to leave his book.

"Only if one does not wish to be stared at, Hatake-Jonin-san," Aioka replied, matching his nonchalance with her own.

The book was suddenly gone, and Aioka found herself with the man's full attention. That was surprising: not even his friends received such intensity. She wondered what she had done to earn it.

For several moments, the Jounin stared at her, his posture and face, blank. "How long have you been training Naruto?"

"Since he was eight."

Her prompt reply seemed to surprise him. Did he expect her to be shocked that he knew? He was a Jonin: she would be a fool to think he hadn't noticed the boy's hidden skill.

"Next time you are available, come with Naruto to train; I want to see what you have taught him."

With that not-quite-an-order, the Jonin disappeared in a swirl of leaves...and into the branches of a nearby tree.

Smiling wryly at the theatrics, Aioka jogged toward the Hokage tower. Today she was standing in for one of her captains so he could be with his wife during labour of their first child. Paternity leave was a policy she put in place shortly after she became commander. Her birth parents had not been there for her, but she would make sure these children had their fathers for, at least, their first days of life. It wasn't much, but the men and women appreciated it, all the same.

At the tower, she greeted her temporary team: two boys and a girl who graduated in the class before Naruto. Collecting a repair mission, she gave it to the quietest and most unsure of the three, and told him to lead. The boy led well; showing his knowledge of his teammates' strengths and preferences, he delegated assignments.

By lunchtime, they had successfully repaired a leaky roof and cleaned up their mess. They did two shorter missions, which the other two lead, and retired to the Genin Corp HQ for training. For three hours, Aioka drilled the team in speed, strength, and endurance. Sparring, chakra control, and perfecting the Academy Three (Bunshin, Kawarimi, and Henge) were also done in that time frame. At the end of it, all three were exhausted but proud. The team was a good one, if a little slow.

Aioka remained at headquarters late into the night speaking with her Lieutenants. The Chunin Exams would be held in Konoha in a couple months and they needed to get the petition finished if they wanted the Hokage to have time to consider it. Usually, Career Genin were promoted individually and based on specialization. If the petition went through and were accepted, Genin, who otherwise would never have been considered, could show their capabilities. Over the past several years, Aioka's Corp had produced shinobi and kunoichi of mid chuunin ability. Well over half her Corp could stand toe to toe with the average Chuunin. She knew this because several chuunin from the many clans she knew liked spar with her teams to practice fighting multiple opponents. It was truly amazing how people could improve if given the right tools and attention.

That night, Aioka left with the final draft of the petition, and all the vouchers her teams had collected, to be reviewed by her father in the morning. And then, she would learn her fate once it crossed the Hokage's desk.

* * *

 **Reviewer Questions.**

 **BloodyLoved** and **blackcat711:** _Will Aioka be paired with anyone?_ I'm not 100% yet. I didn't start A:CG with a pairing in mind but I wouldn't be surprised if she ends up with someone in the end. My characters have a habit of writing themselves =D

 **SnowCat:** _What's with "Jonin" being added to Kakashi's name?_ My Beta also asked me this. In my AU it's a respect thing. Neither Aioka, nor any of the Career Genin, are on familiar terms with Kakashi so they call him "Hatake-Jonin" like a Private would acknowledge a Captain as "Captain Peters" or something similar. They do the same with Chunin.

You guys are awesome. Thank you all so much for your reviews and follow/favorites.


	8. The Boy behind the Mask

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I use ideas from _Deja vu no Jutsu_ and _Inoue Shiori_ with the author's permission.

 **Beta'ed by Kyrie Twilight**

 **A/N:** I'm switching up the POV this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

 **The boy under the mask**

For a long time he didn't understand.

" _Demon. Menace. He should just die."_

He didn't understand why every effort he made was met with agony.

 _Hard hands striking the hope from the face of a child who eagerly wanted to help with chores_.

But he tried anyways.

 _Sparkling clean dishes thrown to the floor, a woman snarling at the child for defiling them with his cursed hands._

He tried so hard.

 _Rain and mud coating everything when the child was finally left alone. The only shelter he knew now barred to him._

For a while, he gave up.

 _Tiny hand dug through trash, haunted eyes darted in fear. 'Hurry, hurry, hurry before I'm heard!' whimpered his thoughts._

And then he thought everything was going to get better.

" _This is all yours Naruto. What do you think of your apartment?"_

And it was better.

 _The child giggled as he bathed for the first time under a shower._

But only for a while.

 _Crude laughter and breaking glass shook the windows at night; the morning light riddling the child's home with destruction._

But, for the sake of the one who showed him kindness he grinned.

" _I'm okay Jiji!"_

Even though he didn't understand, he always grinned.

" _I'm sorry Naruto. I don't know why you are hated."_

Even as he grinned he sometimes felt such heat in his chest that he thought he would explode.

" _I'm not a Demon! I'm a boy! Please! Please! I'm sorry!" Cuts, bruises, and broken bones healed but the child's soul was tainting._

Because of the kindness, he buried everything but his grin. Determined to keep that kindness for himself. Eventually he went into the academy and learned about Traps; and for, a moment, he thought he could do something right. His sensei praised him. Only to turn his back.

 _Brown eyes looked blankly at the hopeful child. "Sit down Uzumaki."_

Years passed and he tried hard to gain that sensei's approval again. It took a long time, but he got it. For a while he was mostly content. But then he met his nee-chan.

" _Neh, why'd you do that nee-chan?"_

" _I expect professionalism from my Corp, Uzumaki-san. I will not tolerate a leaf-nin bullying a civilian, especially an academy student."_

And his whole world changed. He began to understand what lay behind the hate, and anger, and fear, in eyes of those who hurt him. He began to understand the pain, sorrow, and pity in the eyes of those he called precious.

His nee-chan did not look at him like that. What he saw in her copper eyes was like looking in a mirror when he knew no one could see him. She understood him in a way no one else could, and she taught him in a way no one ever had.

For a while he was wary (when is she going to turn on me?), but he quickly cast his fear aside as she passed test after test.

When he started to grasp the things she taught him, she introduced the greatest prank he had ever heard of. His idiot mask was made from the slowly fading remnants of who he had been.

Beneath the mask he found comfort in anonymity. For a while, it was nice that only he and his nee-chan knew who he was becoming; but then, he found out the lies he had been told.

That heat, he once felt when he was little, returned and he felt it boiling beneath his skin. For a moment, he wanted nothing more than to see the world burn.

" _ **He lied! He lied! Jiji lied to me!"**_

Her calm in the face of his rage was a relief. Her gentle reproach to his accusations soothed his raw emotions. Her unflinching touch grounded him even as toxic and wild chakra licked at both of their flesh.

When dawn came, his soul was raw but clean. He no longer hated, but he also no longer respect what he once held most dear. That facet of his life, his naivety, faded away and truly became his Mask.

 **A:CG**

They got a C-Rank! Naruto hid his disbelief behind a closed eyed grin, hands clasped proudly behind his head. The Hokage assigned Team 7 a C-Rank, all because of his childish outburst.

What was he thinking? His team was nowhere near prepared for a C-Rank! Surely the old man realized that he wasn't actually this much of an Idiot.

When Aioka had challenged him to prank the village with his facade, he never thought that the Hokage, the man that was once his closest confidant, would fall for it. Yet, Naruto now realized that the Hokage really, truly, no longer knew who he was.

It was only years of practice that allowed the blonde to maintain his mask in the following introduction to Team 7's client: Tazuna of Nami no Kuni. A numbness he hadn't felt since meeting Aioka settled in his gut: hopelessness. Any hope he had had that his Jiji would eventually see him for who he had become, died right then and there.

Distracted, Naruto nodded to acknowledge the order to meet at the West gate by noon, and darted toward the Genin Corp HQ. Missing his sensei's curious eye linger on him until Naruto was out of sight.

Naruto gradually dropped his special brand of henge as he ran. To hide the changes a healthy diet and proper training caused to his physique, Naruto maintained a henge of what he thought the old Naruto would look like if he had continued without those factors. By the time he reached the HQ, the neon orange jumpsuit had faded to deep grey with burnt orange accents and he had re-tied his hitai-ate as a bandanna. His face had lost some baby fat and gained two inches of height.

Stepping through the front entrance, Naruto waved and smiled distractedly at the welcoming calls he received. He needed to see his nee-chan.

Making his way to her office, Naruto felt some of the numbness go away when he felt her familiar chakra wink in and out of his senses in her way of greeting him. Her ability to disappear like that was really neat. She was helping him learn to do the same, but it was very slow going.

Copper eyes and a warm smile welcomed him when he finally entered her office. "Hello, Naruto-kun." The greeting was simple, but Naruto could hear the affection in it and see that she was listening. How she always seemed to know when he wanted serious advice before he said anything was beyond him.

"I leave for a C-Rank at noon."

A crease formed on the woman's forehead, her mouth twitching in an echo of his own disapproval. She knew just as well as he did, that his team was not ready to function as unit outside the village. They could barely work together as it was.

"Tell me."

So, he did.

Aioka sighed softly when he finished his report, and opened her arms in an invitation. Accepting her offer of comfort, Naruto closed his eyes and buried his face in her shoulder.

"I'm never going to know him again, am I nee-chan?" He inquired hoarsely, mourning the loss of something he hadn't realized he still wanted.

Gentle arms tightened, comforting with their security and strength. "Do you want to know him again, Kit?"

A pained sound escaped him. He did. So very much; but, he also did not trust the man. When he had asked Aioka if she knew why he was treated the way he was (a question he had often asked his Jiji), she had been blunt. Yes, she did know, and no, she couldn't tell him due to laws concerning him. It wasn't until he had connected the dots a few years ago, that he realized that it was his Jiji who had established those laws. The same man who had lied to his seven year old face, and many times after that, saying he did not know the answer to Naruto's questions.

Calloused fingers brushed against the hair at his nape comfortingly. "Take the time away to think about it Kit. I will support whatever you decide."

Naruto sighed and nodded but didn't move from her embrace. This would be the first time since they met, that they would be apart for more than a day or two.

"Do you need anything before you leave?"

Naruto grunted a negative and snuggled closer. He was slightly playful now that his troubles were out in the open.

Aioka chuckled softly, and gave him another squeeze before pulling away. "Get going, Kit. I'll see you when you get back."

Naruto grimaced at the thought of weeks with his team. "Yeah, wish me luck."

She laughed, "Off you go."

Flashing his nee-chan a grin, he trotted away. Wondering what that flicker of sadness in her eyes meant.

Slipping out into the morning crowd, Naruto made his way to his nee-chan's home. The comfortable three bedroom house was a quick five minute hop over rooftops (or a leisurely twenty minute walk) from the HQ, and it was the place he called home. Since graduation, he had all but moved out of the apartment the Hokage had gifted him when he was seven. That place only held painful memories. He kept up appearances by sending a kage bunshin to spend the night and make the place looked lived in. He didn't want to clue his tormentors in to the fact that he no longer lived there.

Entering the home via his bedroom window, Naruto quickly began packing for a month. This missions was slotted for two weeks, but he thought it prudent to pack for twice as long; missions went awry all the time, and it was better to have too much than too little. Storage scrolls were awesome for emergency supplies: half his gear would go into one, while the other half remained available in his standard issue pack.

Shouldering the pack, the preteen took a last look around his room. He had purchased everything in the room himself, from the tan paint to the burnt orange comforter, and had managed to do it all without going into debt. The set up had been all his doing too. By using what Aioka had taught him, and what he had learned from reading, he had learned to manage his money wisely and had made his room defensible and functionally comfortable.

Satisfied that nothing was out of place, Naruto henged back into his public persona once he was a distance away from his home. The jumpsuit reappeared, his height diminished, and his face softened to allow more baby fat. It wouldn't do if people connected his true form to his mask.

Naruto greeted his teammates with obnoxious enthusiasm when he arrived at the gate.

"Where's senesi?" he exclaimed, amusing himself by twisting every which way as if doing so would provide him answers.

"Baka, quiet down! You are so annoying!" Sakura snapped, fiddling anxiously with a strand of her hair. The fact that she had said that louder than he had, just made the blonde roll his eyes in the safety of his mind.

"But Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined, drawing out her name in a way that never failed to make the girl twitch. He really shouldn't torment the girl, but she made it so easy. Both of his teammates were so easily riled; Sasuke just hid it better.

Sasuke was complicated, and Naruto was never sure how he wanted to view the other boy. Sometimes he wanted to befriend him, other times he wanted nothing to do with the violence that simmered in the Uchiha's eyes. Sasuke had a fragility about him that Naruto recognized in the worst way. And the blonde was at war with himself about what to do about it. On one hand, Naruto _knew_ he could help the boy, on the other he feared the vulnerability it would require. To help Sasuke, Naruto would have to share some of his secrets. Secrets that had the potential to heal just as they could destroy.

"Gah! Naruto!"

Naruto sighed at Sakura's frustrated growl and accepted the surprisingly hard hit on the head for his whining. If only she could channel that strength into her training, Naruto would be more proud to call her his teammate.

Feigning contrition, Naruto sulked over to Sasuke's side and flopped to the ground, childishly looking anywhere but at Sakura. In spite of his criticism, Naruto really liked his teammates. They had the potential to be formidable shinobi one day. He could see Sakura as a tia/genjutsu type and troubleshooter; Sasuke as weapons/ninjutsu type and strategist, and himself as a ninjutsu type and infiltrator. If Sakura would take a more serious interest in her training and Sasuke became more receptive to friendship, Naruto wouldn't be so reluctant to let them in on some of his secrets. As they were now, he couldn't trust them to react well to his mask. Sakura wouldn't accept it and Sasuke...Sasuke would either fully accept him as a friendly rival or become unreasonably jealous of Naruto's competence.

"Hello, my cute Genin!"

Naruto reacted in tandem with Sakura. "YOU'RE LATE!"

Hatake Kakashi was another puzzle entirely separate from Naruto's fellow Genin. Why hadn't he called Naruto out on his mask yet? The blonde was not stupid. He knew the Jonin was aware of his mask. He had to with how often the man followed him to training with Aioka.

"Maa, you see I had to -" blonde and pink haired Genin cut their sensei off with a resounding and emphatic, "LIAR!"

The pout the Jonin sported, hid his amusement. With a few more words, Team 7 and the client stepped out of Konoha's walls.

Fascination was quickly replaced by a familiar companion: boredom. They had been close acquaintances during his academy days, he and boredom. Nothing against Iruka-sensei, but those lessons had been monotonous. Not only because Naruto had already gone through them many times before, but because sitting still did not make learning easy for him. His monstrous amounts of chakra made focusing nearly impossible unless he burned off a significant portion of excess energy. By allowing his mind multiple types of stimuli during lectures (such as physical and chakra exercises) it was actually easier for him to absorb theoretical lessons-or lessons that did not include physical movement.

To stave off his growing boredom, and ignore the clients irritating jabs, Naruto acted even more of an idiot than usual by poking every tree and shrub like it was something alien, all the while trying to guess his teammates moods. During one of his lessons on reading signatures, he and Aioka discovered he sensed people by their emotions as well as their chakra. He could distinguish one person from another by their signature easily enough, but if he concentrated on a single person, he could get whisper like sensations of their emotions.

Chakra sensing was a weird thing. It was possible for anyone to learn but difficult to master without some natural talent. Shinobi relied on their chakra senses as much as sight and hearing, if not moreso. That was why shielding ones signature was considered hostile outside of training.

Aioka had explained that the average Shinobi could tell one person from another by signature, in the same way a person could tell people apart by facial recognition, but that was it. It was far more rare to read emotions, especially to the extent that he could when he had the time to focus. He had gotten faster at interpreting emotions but he still had to focus on one person at a time. That was why he was currently practicing on his team mates.

Sasuke was bored, irritated, resigned; so, normal. Sakura, on the other hand, never failed to give Naruto whiplash with how fast her mood changed. Currently she was: self-conscious, confident, swooning, doubting, irritated, calm, exasperated, swooning again… Sometimes Naruto suspected the girl of multiple personalities with how each emotion shifted and blended into each other.

Ignoring a stirring of amusement in his own mind, the boy turned his attention to the two adults. Hope, fear, guilt, and hope was an ever repeating loop from their client. Naruto had known the mission was not what it seemed the moment the bridge builder had stated his expectations of them protecting them with their lives.

 _We're going to get smacked with the C-Rank curse, aren't we?_ He thought resignedly; mulishly returning to his place in formation when Sakura finally snapped at him.

Muted amusement leaked from the lone Jonin who trailed behind all of them. Kakashi-sensei was the hardest for Naruto to read. All the man's emotions were muted or distorted by something, very much like all ANBU. And his sensei was, or had been, ANBU. He recognized the man as Wolf-san; one of the more friendly ANBU guards he had had during the early years of his academy days.

 _How much do you wanna bet Sensei will ditch us if things go screwy and pop up at the last moment?_

A rumble whispered in his mind, causing Naruto to hide a smirk by looking at a stone he kicked. His tenant was slowly becoming more interactive with him. Almost every night since discovering what he carried, Naruto spent time within his seal for as long as the great fox would tolerate him. The first meeting had been full of heated words from both; a struggle of two dominate wills. The ones after varied from more arguments, to Naruto enduring silence and KI. More recently, the fox seemed to be content in ignoring him but accepting his visits, and within the last couple days the fox had been responding with various noises to Naruto's running commentary on his teammates.

Naruto held no illusions that the fox liked him (there was too much bitterness and centuries of hate for that), but there was resignation in the biju towards Naruto's tenacious attempts to understand. Naruto hoped to befriend his tenant one day; the creature had been alone for too long and deserved some sort of companionship.

The disbelieving snort told Naruto what the biju thought of that.

 **A:CG**

There was a puddle... in the middle of the road. In full sunlight. It was blistering hot and it hadn't rained in more than a week. How stupid could people be?

Naruto's incredulity was loud in his mind and nearly caused him to break character to stare at the painfully obvious genjutsu. And if he, someone who _sucked_ at spotting genjutsu, was saying it was obvious, it was _obvious_.

In the two days they had been on the road, Team 7 hadn't run into anything more dangerous than mosquitoes and their clients agitation. Sakura had done well with attempting to curb Tazuna's taunts toward Naruto by asking him about his home but, as soon as the man had time to think, he was right back at picking on Naruto. It was grating, and more than once Naruto had to bite back his temper, but Naruto suspected it was the old man's way of distracting himself from whatever he feared waiting for him on the road.

 _My team sucks at situational awareness,_ Naruto thought tiredly. Both Sasuke and Sakura passed the genjutsu none the wiser of the Killing Intent leaking subtly from it. _You'd think they'd recognize KI with how much Sensei has been working on their endurance to it during spars._

When the attack came, Naruto was already in motion. He had too many years of sparring with Aioka and her Corp to be caught off guard. Before Sakura's scream ended, five Shadow Clone had been formed. Three darted to support Sasuke-who leapt to engage without hesitation-and two fell back with Naruto to surround Sakura and Tazuna.

Absently, Naruto noted that any other kunoichi would have taken his actions for the insult it was: he had zero trust in her ability to protect the client.

The skirmish was short. Ending with both opponents unconscious. One by Sasuke, the other by Kakashi.

"Yo."

Naruto snorted at his sensei's dramatic appearance and put his weapons away. The Jonin had knocked the Chunin out mid air and was currently holding the dead weight easily under one arm.

"Sensei!" Sakura's cry of relief caused Naruto to look at her. Her pupils were blown wide from adrenaline and fear. Reaching over, he lightly grasped her shoulder. "Breath, Sakura-chan, you're going to pass out if you start hyperventilating."

Thankfully the girl obeyed and didn't ignore him like she usually did.

"I'm sorry for scaring you Sakura-chan. I needed to see who their target was," Kakashi stated and turned to Sasuke to praise him. The dark haired boy accept it with a distracted smirk, his eyes on Naruto's clones as they secured the shinobi he had knocked out. The clones had stripped everything useful from the nin and were currently standing guard.

"You do realize lying about mission parameters is stupid right?"

Kakashi turned from Sasuke at Naruto's bland inquiry, and felt his breath still as he looked upon the blonde. There was that look; the same that had caught his attention. Kami, the boy looked like his father.

"W-what are you talking about?" Tazuna's stutter was painfully audible. The man was shocked by the attack and the sudden change in the boy he had chosen to antagonize since laying eyes on him. There was no sign of an idiot in the cool blue eyes.

"Baka! Don't blame the client," Sakura cut in heatedly, recovered from her moment of panic and channeling embarrassment into anger.

The unimpressed look he gave her was very foreign to her. She couldn't ever recall Naruto looking at her with such a lack of warmth.

"No, Sakura, Naruto is right," Kakashi rebuked lightly, a glint of something unidentifiable in his eye as he looked upon Naruto. The expression hardened when it turned to their client. "Explain."

As the man talked, Naruto's clones handed Sasuke his weapons and a storage scroll full of everything they could strip from the unconscious Chunin. When the clones dissipated, Naruto quickly sorted through their memories.

From his place by Kakashi, Sasuke watched his blonde teammate narrowly. There was something vastly different about the other boys mannerisms. The level headed responses to the past few minutes were not what he had expected from his blonde teammate.

For her part, Sakura had already dismissed Naruto from her mind; listening to the bridge builder with a bleeding heart.

Kakashi split his attention between his team, listening to the client, and monitoring their surroundings. The fact that Tazuna had lied was unsurprising, just an annoyance. It wasn't well known that Ryo wasn't the only form of payment Konoha accept from poorer clients. If the man had been honest from the beginning, a compromise could have been made, be it discounted goods or something else of that nature.

If his team decided to help the man, Kakashi was confident he could handle anything they ran into. It wouldn't be the first time he had dealt with this kind of situation.

Once a decision was made, Kakashi watched with curiosity as Naruto seamlessly fell back behind his mask. His teammates were quick to dismiss the previous display of skill, causing the Jonin to sigh inwardly is exasperation: those two were in for a rude awakening when Naruto had reason to stop hiding.

* * *

 **A/N:** So I'm just about caught up to myself now. Updates may lengthen to every other week, depending on how much trouble I have writing a chapter.


	9. Oversights: Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I use ideas from _Deja vu no Jutsu_ and _Inoue Shiori_ with the author's permission.

 **Beta'ed by Kyrie Twilight**

 **A/N:** Introducing Hokage-sama and ANBU!

* * *

 **Oversights: Part 1**

Paper and fabric whispered against wood, as an aged hand set a disturbingly thin file beside a very unexpected document. Smoke slipped from thin lips, lazily curling passed weathered cheeks, and folding around the brim of a symbol of responsibility, before dissipating in the open air.

Firsts were becoming rare. When was the last time a First had occurred for him?

Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't recall.

Before him lay two puzzles: one as curious as the other. The file he had just read was disturbingly incomplete on a kunoichi he knew only by sight. The document was a petition from the Genin Corp to participate in the Chunin Exams for the first time in Konoha's history. It was signed by the unknown kunoichi who claimed the title of Genin Commander.

That was a title he had almost forgot existed.

Rising from his seat, the aged shinobi paused to straighten his robes: an action done to hide the growing pain that came with his age. Not that his guards didn't recognize the action for what it was. They had served him for too long to be fooled by such tricks; even if they allowed him to pretend he could. Hiruzen was quietly grateful for that dignity.

The Hokage strolled around his office and pondered the situation, his steps slow to loosen his body from sitting for too long.

The kunoichi's file was thorough up until her graduation and entrance into the Genin Corp. Everything after that was strictly mission reports. There was no intel on where she lived, her abilities, or even medical records. Such blanks were curious. Usually imposters had impeccable record. It was almost as if the kunoichi had simply been forgotten. And if that was the case, there was a serious problem with the system in place to keep track of Konoha's shinobi. He would have to see if there were more incomplete files like this.

The blatant claim of Genin Commander was also odd. Surely the woman didn't think she could get away with such a claim when that rank could only be given by a Hokage. He had not bestowed that title on anyone since before the Yondaime took office.

Catching sight of the petition as he began another circuit around his office, his thoughts changed topics. That document told the aged Kage a great deal about the woman's connections. He had dealt with Nara's and Yamanaka's for too long to be unfamiliar with their touch on negotiation; and that document had both clan's influences all over it. Among the numerous vouchers for fifteen complete teams, were the signatures of Chunin and Jonin from both major and lesser clans and even a smattering of clanless shinobi. He admired the woman's boldness for the effort she went into to guarantee at least garnering his attention. With so many people knowing about the petition, he would have many waiting for his reply. How he handled this would tell his shinobi and kunoichi whether or not he valued their opinion and trusted their judgement. If he tossed this unknown kunoichi to T&I without caution it would send them a negative message. He would avoid that for now.

 _Well played Kunoichi-san_ , he thought wryly. She most definitely had his attention. It was fortunate she had so many loyal shinobi vouching for her; otherwise the kunoichi _would_ be enjoying services of T &I.

Hiruzen returned to his seat and looked over the problematic file and documents once again.

He really did admire the petition. It was well put together and if the Commander's identity weren't in question, he would have granted at least one team a chance without qualm. It was obvious that many of his shinobi believed the Career Genin should be given a chance.

Now that it was brought to his attention, Hiruzen recalled many instances when he had noted an improvement in the behaviour of the Genin Corp. Particularly in the missive runners' posture when faced with anyone of rank. At one time, he recalled bemoaning the lack of spine some of them had. Now, those same Genin (and the new ones) had a quiet dignity about them.

With some trepidation, the Third Hokage realized that he may have lost touch with one of his divisions. He could not pretend he knew much of the Genin Corp now. When he first took office, he could easily call up any information on how that division operated. Not so now.

"Bat," an ANBU materialized before the Hokage's desk, "who keeps an eye on the Genin Corp?"

"As far as I know, we do not have anyone monitoring the Genin Corp specifically. Village patrol units would have the most information on them if you require it, Hokage-sama." The reply was preceded by a moment of silence, clearly telling the old shinobi that his guard had to think hard to come up with that answer.

"It seems we have a hole in security. Send two of our infiltrators in. I want an overview of their observations by tomorrow evening."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the ANBU bowed, fist over his heart, and vanished to deliver the orders.

For a moment, the Third simply enjoyed his pipe, idly wondering what would come of this investigation. With a gusty sigh, Hiruzen finally returned to his paperwork, envisioning increasingly creative ways of destroying the never ending pile of tree shavings.

 **A:CG**

When the term _Career Genin_ comes up in casual conversation, it is often tied to failures and ninja-wanna-be's. It is spoken with pity and undertones of dismissal by other shinobi. They were the ranks that other shinobi were thankful they were not apart of and were considered as useless individuals. Yet, for ANBU agents Ferret and Mouse, that mindset was not what they were seeing.

Within the bowels of Genin Corp headquarters, the ANBU were perched in the deepest shadows above what appeared to be a training hall. The room was vast, taking up more than half of the HQ's usable space, and made primarily from stone- suggesting that it was made from materials found during the founding of the village. In those early years, the people had used whatever was dug up while clearing an area to build whatever they were clearing the land for. The stone formed the floor and the two longest walls. Numbers were carved into the two long walls and beneath each number was a space dedicated to a specific type of training: Numbers one through ten seemed to be where Academy jutsu was practiced; Numbers eleven through twenty: meditation and strategy games; Twenty-one through thirty: kata's and sparring. Every skill available to Genin was divided among the other numbers, and all numbers had a minimum of one Genin squad practicing beneath them.

Beyond the training hall was a wall with black windows, two and three stories up, that looked over the training Genin. At the base of the wall were three different entry points. Wordlessly, the ANBU split up; Ferret going to the middle entry and Mouse taking the left, both covering themselves in genjutsus to encourage people to ignore them. Neither saw more than one Genin pause to watch them.

Mouse, also known as Sarutobi Isa, was perpetually grateful that her partner was not with her at the moment; otherwise, the man would tease her relentlessly for the constant twitches of surprise escaping her control.

The path she had chosen led to a series of classrooms. Out of the eleven total classrooms, five were occupied by groups of Genin of various ages. The first one she snuck in on nearly caused her to panic when she realized what they were discussing: Protocol on dealing with known foreign spies. They were using a known spy from Iwa, who was masquerading as a gardener for civilian nobles, as an example. The teacher, a shinobi of roughly twenty five, was laying out scenarios that would require immediate interference. He asked the class how they handle it and to defend their chosen method. The current scenario was the spy seducing Lady Shimitagoa, wife of a member of Konoha's Merchant Guild: Shimitagoa Zhoa. Mouse couldn't decide if this was a real case or a made up one; she would have to check ANBU intel later.

The other classes were just as bewildering. Why would the Genin need to review the Academy curriculum when they were unlikely to ever use it?

Slipping into the empty rooms, Mouse discovered that each room was dedicated to some aspect of theoretical knowledge available to Genin. The training hall was where they put that theory into practice. The Genin Corp seemed to be a more indepth version of the Academy. With that realization, Mouse combed through each room to see how complete the curriculum was. She had until tomorrow evening but she had a feeling it would take much longer than that to see everything this Corp had to offer.

Ferret wasn't fairing much better than Mouse in the surprise department because, kami, could these Genin use traps. The hall he had chosen had been cast in a subtle genjutsu that clung to an intruder and twisted their perception of its size and length. Luckily, Ferret was familiar with the genjutsu and had shaken it off before it had taken root.

Using far more caution than he originally thought necessary, Ferret investigated the doors that lined the halls. Each were trapped to Suna and back and he didn't dare try his hand on them. ANBU he may be, but non-chakra based traps were not his forté. This was an observation mission only. As much as it hurt his pride that traps made by _Genin_ were blocking his mission, he was also impressed at the same time. Scouring the hall, and the two above, he tried to figure out what lay behind the doors but without a key to the colors and symbols on each door, he had no way of knowing without getting inside, a feat he only managed by slipping in behind a couple Genin.

Records: the room was filled with neatly filed records on missions the Genin did.

Ferret didn't have time to learn more than that before the Genin finished storing files pulled from their storage scrolls. Where those scroll had been, the ANBU hadn't seen.

For the next several hours, Ferret stole into rooms when Genin (always two) entered to store whatever files they had in their storage scrolls. It did not take the ANBU long to become overwhelmed by the amount of information the Genin Corp had within these walls. One room held reports on civilian criminals and their activities; many of which, Ferret hadn't even been aware existed. Come to think of it, he couldn't recall the last time civilians had complained about crime. With a shiver, Ferret acknowledged that something very, very strange was going on.

When the two met up again, they quietly exchanged information. Both decided this was one of the more bizarre mission they had done within the village walls.

A commotion below drew the two infiltrator's attention. The raised voices hollering greetings to a Kunoichi both ANBU recognized as Shojikina Aioka: the Genin claiming to be Genin Commander. They had orders to shadow her if she made an appearance.

The woman was welcomed with warmth and respect that bordered on worship by all present. Her response was warm, greeting a few by name and inquiring after family members. The atmosphere in the hall intensified when the Genin returned to their training; feeling very similar to anticipation and that of students wanting to impress their sensei.

For an hour, the woman mingled with those in the training hall. Talking, teaching, and laughing with any who wished her company until she excused herself to the third, and final, hall the ANBU had yet to explore.

Exercising caution usually reserved for assassinations, the two infiltrators followed. The third hall held numerous offices and an exit, through which a few civilians came and went. Mouse deviated to observe that situation while Ferret continued to follow their target.

The woman went to the top floor; a space that was completely open and clearly her office. Three large desks faced a large window that looked over the training hall, each bearing the weight of an Akimichi in paper.

Ferret swallowed a yelp when two copies of the woman suddenly appeared with half a handsign and a faint screen of smoke. Kage Bunshin. A Genin performed a Kage Bunshin with half a seal. Ferret couldn't do that. He didn't know anyone who could. He also didn't know many people to use the technique at all. It was forbidden for more than the amount of chakra it required: The technique was known to cause brain damage from memory transfers.

The three women sat at a desk and began to work, pausing only when Genin entered to remove the completed papers.

As Ferret observed the woman and her bunshin, he also took in the office itself. Shelves lined two walls, neatly filled with scrolls. A tapestry bearing the crests of all clans that had ever been connected to Konoha hung on one wall. Above it, a quote of sharp calligraphy was painted. ' _ **Honor Konoha, Protect Her people. Protect Konoha, Know Her People.'**_ The rest of that same wall was painted with other quotes on leadership and service.

It was nearing nine in the evening when the woman finally set her pen down and the last of her paper work was taken away. With a heavy sigh, the woman hunched over her desk and one of her Bunshin dismissed itself, while the second came up behind the original and began gently massaging her neck and shoulders. Ferret decided it was somewhat creepy to see a Bunshin comfort its creator.

For several moments, Shojikina simply breathed. It was obvious that absorbing her Bunshin's memories was not easy on her. When the second Bunshin was dismissed, the woman hissed in pain but otherwise remained immobile.

"Aioka-san?"

Ferret glanced toward a Genin who had entered while Shojikina dealt with her first Bunshin's memories. The other Genin was a young woman in her late teens.

"I'm alright, Ai-chan, just more information than usual," Shojikina replied to the younger kunoichi. Ferret noted the familiarity the two shared; none of the other Genin had spoken to Shojikina without calling her Commander, and Shojikina had never used -chan before.

"Do you need anything before I go?"

The older woman replied with a negative as she stood and stretched. "No, let me walk you out. I'm done for the night."

As the kunoichi left, Ferret felt unease slip through him. He did not know the woman's usual habits, but based on the younger of the two's brief look of startlement, some step had been skipped. Warily, the infiltrator remained where he was for several long minutes until Mouse found him and the two began combing through the office. They made note of everything, from childishly drawn pictures on her desk to the framed documents that hung on the walls. The scrolls on the shelves were not trapped, so they investigated their contents and found what appeared to be new recruit orientation packets. Within the packets were copies of policies, a breakdown of ranks, something called Hitai-ate Code Key, a list of mandatory exercises, and mission protocols. The ANBU tucked one of the packets into their vest and returned everything to their proper place before retreating to the main hall to rest and wait for a new day to begin.

"What did you find out about the civilians?" Ferret asked, curiously looking through the packet they had nicked from Shojikina's office. He would have to return and look for this **Details of Genin Rank/Type Duties** mentioned in the section covering what ranks and types of Genin there were.

"Little; I'd like to stay here and look into it more."

Ferret grunted an acknowledgement, reading the **Hitai-ate Code Key** with interest. He had noticed that the Career Genin all seemed to wear their hitai-ate's differently than most but hadn't thought it meant anything beyond preference. Summaries were given on each type and rank and how to identify them. Type was easiest to spot. Color and placement told those who knew, what the Genin's primary and secondary functions were. The only rank that was remotely possible to visually identify, was that of Commander. The Commander's Hitai-ate was always grey for Clerk but the secondary function changed; no other Career Genin's secondary function changed once they gained the rank of Private-which only occurred once a Genin could perform the Mandatory Skills. All other ranks were simply known by other Genin from familiarity.

Passing the packet to Mouse, Ferret took her place on watch. The HQ was not completely deserted. Three teams of Trainer/Scouts (Genin whose Hitai-ate were maroon and worn as bandannas) erratically patrolled the building. There was no set timing and no matter how long Ferret watched he could not figure out a pattern. He really wanted to know how they did it.

Darkness still claimed the world when Genin started to trail in. Both ANBU recognized the young Kunoichi, Ai, but the others they couldn't place. The group split into teams and began doing a variety of warm up movement and stretches. There were eighteen Genin in total, twelve had Clerk as their Primary function, the others had either Scout or Trainer with a variety of other functions.

The group were beginning to cool down when their Commander arrived.

The woman's Hitai-ate was around her thigh today, signalling her secondary was a Trainer, versus the Clerk/Clerk she had been yesterday.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Tachio," the others replied, flashing grins at each other for their synchronized greeting.

Shojikina chuckled and began her own warm ups. "Duzo-kun, start us off will you?"

A shinobi Clerk/Scout stepped forward and began to give a summary of what needed to be accomplished today. Each of the twelve shinobi and kunoichi with Clerk as their Primary Function had a chance to speak.

To the ANBU's chargain, their presence had not been undetected yesterday. More than one of the twelve reported reports on intruders by Genin in their division. And wasn't that interesting, there were divisions within the Geinn Corp. Ferret and Mouse were not sure what to feel at the confirmation that there was far more to the Corp than met the eye. They would need far more than today to give a comprehensive report to their Hokage.

"Excellent, thank you Lieutenants. Duzo-kun, Ai-chan, Hitomi-chan, please make time to see me today. Jin-san, Soba-san, Nyuki-san, inform today's Captains to keep a sharp eye out for newcomers. I sensed strangers on my way home last night." Shojikina gave all twelve various instructions to fulfill on top of what they had already reported. "As for the intruders, leave them be."

The twelve gave varying signs of dissatisfaction at that final instruction, but did not question her. That was either great trust or great foolishness on their part.

"Right, whose turn to spar with me today?"

Mouse and Ferret watched the following training with unease. All nineteen Genin sparred on levels closer to high Chunin, low Jonin. None of the Genin used skills above their rank, but they used them with incredible mastery that neither ANBU was certain they could imitate. It was rare when these Genin used seals to perform their jutsus, and when they did it was with less than three seals and next to no smoke.

The spars ended an hour later and the Twelve, along with Shojikina, settled down to meditate, while the other six began working on techniques that had required them to use seals. It was about this time that more Genin started to arrive and begin opening window shades, turning on lights, and setting up the train hall for use.

Shojikina and the Twelve came out of their meditations and went their separate ways.

Mouse followed the shinobi named Duzo, Lieutenant of the Enforcers, while Ferret stayed behind to figure out which Lieutenant was going to assign teams to todays D-ranks. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

 **A/N:** Heads up: I am switching to posting every other week from here on out.

What do you guys think of Aioka's Genin Corp?


	10. Oversights: Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I use ideas from _Deja vu no Jutsu_ and _Inoue Shiori_ with the author's permission.

 **Beta'ed by Kyrie Twilight**

 **A/N:** Hello! Here's the long awaited meeting between Aioka and the Hokage! Plus a peek into Aioka's awkward side =D

* * *

 **Oversights: Part 2**

Mouse wasn't sure what to feel or what to think about this situation.

She had been shadowing Shigako Duzo for the better part of four hours, and her already crumbling view of the Genin Corp was thoroughly shattered.

Nothing about the common views of the Genin Corp was true. These kunoichi and shinobi were talented, efficient, and dedicated. Nothing like what the regular ranks portrayed them as.

In the few hours she had spent in the Enforcers office, Mouse had discovered why the civilians hadn't been bothering the Missions Desk with petty issues in several years: Teams of Scout/Runner or Scout/Clerks wandered the civilian sectors all day. Their mere presence was enough to discourage the worst crimes and provided the civilians easy access to Konoha's shinobi and kunoichi if they needed a mediator. If a crime did occur, civilians did not have to look far for help.

When an Enforcer team's shift ended, they reported to one of the Clerks stationed in the Enforcer office. Mouse wondered if Ibiki had any idea of the proverbial gold mine the Genin Corp was for budding Intelligence Officers. These Scouts picked up on the subtlest changes in the civilians.

One reported a widow's change in perfume and how that meant that the woman was finally ready to start looking for a new husband. The honest relief on the reporting Genin's face spoke of how much they cared about this widow. Actually, all the Genin seemed to genuinely care for the civilians they reported on.

Not all the reports were pleasant, though. Several reported worsening conditions of families who had an abusive member, be it father to family, mother to children, or a child to an elder parent. The Clerks who took those reports would issue orders to help defuse the situation or direct the team to report directly to Duzo for instructions if the situation was life threatening.

Domestic abuse wasn't rampant, but Mouse was startled by how close the Genin Corp kept an eye on it. The level of scrutiny seemed very invasive, and she wondered why the Corp thought it necessary.

Satisfied that she had enough information to give a basic report, Mouse wandered the HQ. She sat in on lessons, read whatever files were left in empty offices, and slipped in and out behind Genin in the Records Hall to pass the time. There was a lot to see and not enough time to get details.

Out in the village, Ferret was witnessing the relations between civilians and the Career Genin first hand. Subtle things told the ANBU how much the civilians trusted the Career Genin. For one, the civilians children wandered freely, and none of the women seemed concerned. Not a single person flinched when the Genin came near to them. Ferret could recall times when he had walked through the civilian district and people would move away with wary awe.

Genin greeted anyone and everyone as they went about their missions, cheerfully talking as they worked or politely ending a conversation so they could continue their mission. They never dismissed anyone, even if they were clearly in a hurry.

The Genin did not take to the roof tops unless a mission required it; preferring to move among the masses, and freely demonstrating chakra use when children asked them to. Both things were not the norm. The more Ferret watched, the more the man wondered at the familiarity everyone seemed to have with each other.

The current team he was following never failed to greet a vendor, child, merchant, or cripple by their name. Just as every civilian knew each Genin by name. Ferret wasn't sure why he was so surprised by this, but it struck him as odd. Shinobi and civilians had alway been somewhat segregated. Both because civilians feared shinobi and because shinobi were easily irritated by civilians. They were too different to truly get along; or had been at one time. Was the segregation there because shinobi didn't put out enough effort to educate their civilian families?

These civilians didn't seem to have any issues with the Genin. It was something to look into later.

Falling back to the Genin HQ, Ferret and Mouse made their way back to ANBU headquarters to compare notes and compile a report for their Hokage.

 **A:CG**

Hiruzen idly passed his thumb over the wood of his pipe as he thought over the Infiltrator's reports. Particularly, the ANBU's reactions in delivering the reports. It had not escaped his notice that the two were impressed by their finds. Their tones had been flat, but the words they chose gave away their feelings. They were curious, and curious ANBU led to nosy ANBU. Hiruzen would not be surprised if those same two ANBU decided to visit the Genin Corp during their off hours.

"How do you want to handle this, Hokage-sama?"

Hiruzen exhaled and brought his focus to the man he had summoned after he had read the ANBU's written reports. "Cautiously. Shojikina-san has served Konoha well by taking initiative and filling the void left by the Uchiha, but she is also an unknown." Hiruzen handed the Genin Corp's Exam petition and Shojikina's personal file over his desk. "I will allow two of the Genin Corp Teams to participate and allow her to represent them among the other Jonin-senseis."

Morino Ibiki set aside the ANBU report Hiruzen had been thinking about and scanned the document once before reading the personal file carefully. "What of her title?"

"Ferret mentioned seeing an official Certificate of Rank in her office. It appears legitimate but lacks my signature. After the first Exam, I will make time to speak with her. She will pay a visit to T&I, one way or another. The manner of visit will depend on the results of our conversation."

Ibiki acknowledged his Hokage's warning with a slight nod, mentally adding the woman's visit to an already large list of things that needed to be done during the Exams.

"I will have the teams monitored during the Exams; I assume you will allow her to choose which two will participate."

Hiruzen quirked a small smile. Ibiki knew him well. "Yes. Do you have an hour to spare, Ibiki-san? I would appreciate a second pair of eyes while I speak with Shojikina-san about the Exam."

Ibiki gave his Hokage a dry look for the needless inquiry. He was just as curious as Hiruzen was about the woman. "I'll manage."

Hiruzen smirked at the quip. There was only a handful of Shinobi he allowed to speak to him with such familiarity, and Ibiki had earned it a long time ago. The scars on his body were a testament to the trials he had endured to earn that privilege.

After sending orders to his secretary to summon Shojikina, Hiruzen and Ibiki relaxed and spoke of idle things while waiting. Ibiki shared several humorous mishaps that occurred in his division, and Hiruzen told about his grandson's latest attempts at claiming the title of Hokage. Both were relaxed when the Secretary announced the Career Genin's arrival.

The woman that walked in was startlingly understated. Her appearance was the kind that could easily get lost in a crowd, neither too handsome, nor too plain. Ibiki appreciated the image she presented. At first glance, the woman was nothing special, but that same 'nothing special' was what impressed the professional interrogator the most because it was that posture that hid the sharp intelligence the woman possessed.

"Hokage-sama, Morino-sama, good-afternoon."

Both men noted their guests' lack of nerves and the manner she addressed them. This was a woman who respected people of authority, but was not intimidated by them.

"Welcome, Shojikina-san, please sit."

 _She spends a lot of time with Nara's_ , Ibiki noted as the woman complied with the Hokage's invitation. Her posture falling similarly to that of the shadow using clan.

None of her movements was wasted, and all were silent, the mark of a shinobi who knew what it meant to be vigilant. A very curious thing for a supposed Career Genin when they weren't supposed to receive missions that would teach that kind of awareness.

If the woman's file hadn't had documentation of her years in Konoha's Academy, Ibiki would immediately say she was anything but a Career Genin.

"Is your morning going well?"

If the woman was surprised by the following small talk, she gave no indication of it. There was a fearlessness in the way she gazed on both of them that was steadfast. The fearlessness wasn't arrogance, rather a quiet strength that intrigued the scarred man.

As the conversation moved smoothly through pleasantries, the woman's composure never became forced. She was honestly comfortable in their presence. It was a puzzle Ibiki wanted to unravel. It was unusual for people to be so unaffected by another's station in life. Especially, when the social gap was as large as it was between her and the Hokage. By all rights, Shojikina should be a bundle of nerves, merely because she was essentially a bug conversing with a god.

Ibiki was privately amused when the Hokage asked the kunoichi what she had been doing when his summons had come. The old man enjoyed discovering how he interrupted his shinobi's days.

"You seem to love your fellow Career Genin," the Hokage commented after Shojikina explained she had been giving some Genin pointers on chakra control.

A small smile crossed the woman's face, softening her focused features and alighting her eyes with pride. "I do. They have given me their all, just as I have. I am very proud of my Corp."

"Is that why you asked to allow them to participate in the Exams?"

The way the Hokage ignored the woman's blatant claim of the Genin Corp being 'hers' told Ibiki that he, too, had heard what the woman meant by that. She was not claiming that the Corp was no longer the Hokage's, but rather claiming it, as a sensei would claim a student.

"Partially, Hokage-sama." She seemed to steel herself when the old shinobi told her to explain. "I also did it to test the waters between myself and whoever would take notice."

Ibiki gazed at the suddenly uneasy woman. Brave: she was very brave to give them an opening like that. She was acknowledging her actions concerning the Genin Corp and giving them an invitation to interrogate her. Ibiki was simultaneously impressed and nonplussed by her potentially reckless bravery. The kind of character she was displaying was rare among a people who rewarded deception.

Taking the pipe from his mouth, Hiruzen slowly let the smoke escape his lungs. The young woman was certainly full of surprises. "Let's focus on the Exams, Shojikina-san. I have liked what I have seen and heard about you; we will speak more of your accomplishments at another time."

A flash in the woman's copper eyes made Hiruzen smile. The Career Genin was surprised by his temporary dismissal of her unspoken offer to speak about what her Corp had become.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." That simple sentence carried a myriad of meanings. It expressed more than just acceptance of the petition. It also covered thanks for allowing her to live. It seemed that the woman was fully aware of the potential consequences for her actions.

"I will allow two teams to participate. If they do well, I will consider allowing them in future Exams."

A smile lit the woman's face: restrained joy and thankfulness expressed in the gesture. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. Would you like to view their files and choose teams?" The way her eyes passed over his paperwork spoke of familiarity with such headaches and reluctance to add more to his already large pile.

"You know your peers better than I. Choose who you will. Their performance will be the deciding factor on the Corp's entrance to future Exams."

The woman nodded, masking the most obvious marks of excitement behind a neutral mask as she accepted six forms from the Hokage's hand.

"Have your Genin fill those out and bring them to the Exams. I will be announcing the dates in a few weeks."

The woman stood and bowed. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen smiled faintly. "I expect you to be there as well, Shojikina-san. It is traditional for the participating teams to have a sensei represent them throughout the Exams."

Copper eyes widened minutely in surprise. "I'd be honored, Hokage-sama. Am I to represent both teams, or would you like another to join me?"

"Just you, Shojikina-san. Since you are the Commander of the Genin Corp, I can justify your presence." He would acknowledge her illegitimate rank for now; she had served the title far better than her known predecessors.

With a few more words, he dismissed the woman and turned to Ibiki, who had been silent during the entirety of the exchange.

"She is complex, Hokage-sama. I will need more time to get a read on her," Ibiki stated in reply to his Hokage's silent demand for his opinion.

Hiruzen thought as much. Glancing at his desk, he mentally began preparing himself.

"Keep an eye on her. And look into her file," he tacked on, eyeing the thin file with annoyance. "It has several blanks."

Ibiki acknowledged his orders and left his Hokage to the bane of any person of rank: paperwork.

 **A:CG**

 _That went surprisingly well_. That was Aioka's thought as she knocked back some sake. Her hands trembled faintly as the reality of what she had just done, was finally acknowledged. She was not going to be handed over to T &I.

She had been suppressing her thoughts about this meeting since the first draft of the petition had been written. Now that it was over, she was overwhelmed with visions of all the different ways it could have gone wrong for her. Scenario after scenario passed through her mind's eye, bombarding her with emotions the images conjured.

What if the Hokage had ordered ANBU to toss her to T&I? What if they had tortured her for being a spy? What if the Hokage had taken offense to her overhaul of on of his divisions? What would happen if Naruto came back to her dead? What if? WHAT IF?

"Aioka-san?"

The Copper eyed Genin Commander released her head, having screwed her eyes shut and clenched her face in a useless attempt to fight off the visions, and wearily looked into the worried face of a brown eyed Chunin.

"Iruka-san," she rasped and cleared her throat. "Yes?"

Concern swam in the man's eyes as he took in her stressed state. "Are you okay?"

Aioka chuckled, feeling exhausted from the abrupt onslaught of emotion, vaguely aware that others in the most empty bar were watching her too: waiting to react if she got violent. She supposed it wasn't an uncommon thing for shinobi to have breakdowns in these places.

"I will be. Thank you for asking," she assured, straightening from her defensive huddle.

When she had left the Hokage Tower, she had entered the first shinobi only bar she found. She did not want her Corp to see her succumb to the stress she had silently endured, and she did not want to burden Ichika when Shikoru wasn't around.

 _I really need a friend,_ Aioka thought wearily, motioning the bartender to refill her empty shot glass.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

Aioka offered another small smile, "No," and hesitated. Umino Iruka was a kind man and very empathetic compared to most people. They hadn't spoken at any length since Naruto introduced them after his graduation. It wouldn't hurt to get to know him more.

Aioka reiterated her previous statement. "No, but I would not mind some company."

The Academy instructor smiled in understanding and tilted his head toward a table two other Chunin sat at. "We have room for a fourth."

When the woman had entered a few minutes ago, the entire bar went silent. The blank, yet panicked, expression in the unknown kunoichi's face was familiar to all of them. Many shinobi had come in here on the brink of losing it before and had been eased out of it by friends. The patrons had shared worried looks when no one immediately went to her. Usually the shinobi community was close knit, but no one seemed to know who she was. Iruka had finally stood when he realized he was the only one who even knew her to be a Career Genin.

"I," Aioka hesitated over the initial refusal on her lips. She really did not want to be alone right now, and these people did not require a leader, a daughter, or a sister. She could crumple for a moment. "I'd like that."

With somewhat jerky movements Aioka followed Iruka to his table.

"Kotetsu-san, Izumo-san, this is Shojikina Aioka of the Genin Corp. Aioka-san, these are Chunin Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo," Iruka introduced as he sat down, attempting to make this meeting casual. Formalities were the last thing the woman needed when she had been on the edge of a panic attack a moment ago. Luckily, Izumo and Kotetsu were laidback enough to not be offended.

"Hello Shojikina-san; call me Izumo. You look like hell."

Iruka winced and glared at his tactless friend but the quiet laugh beside him gave the sensei reason not to smack the other man.

"Not quite that bad, Izumo-san. I apologize for intruding."

The shaggy haired Chunin waved it off. "No worries. You're a Career Genin: how long have you been in service?"

For the next hour, the three Chunin talked to, or around the woman: allowing her to pull herself together but making sure she didn't retreat too deep into her own head. Gradually, Aioka felt calm enough to banish her chaotic thoughts.

"Thank you."

Iruka and his companions paused their debate on the order of the handsigns for some water-based jutsu, to smile at her. There was a distinct lack of fragility in the woman's eyes now.

"Do you want to talk yet?" Iruka offered kindly, aware of Izumo and Kotetsu's (as well as his own) curiosity over what had triggered her earlier reaction.

Aioka hesitated, studying the three men before her. What were they offering? Were they wanting gossip? Friendship? What? Ruthlessly Aioka shoved her thoughts down before they could spiral out of control again.

"I over think 'what if' scenarios and send myself into panics. That's what that was. I haven't had that happen in a few years and... yeah," Aioka trailed off, and flushed at how silly that sounded but that was the gist of it. Her imagination was a vivid thing. She could not put into words how easily her own mind could turn against her: with a barrage of images and emotions so potent they might as well be real. It made genjutsu very easy for her, but she developed an aversion for it after an incident in the Academy.

The three men seemed to struggle with amusement and disbelief. Aioka's blush deepened. "It's true," she defended.

Iruka took a breath, shunting his unhelpful amusement to the back of his mind. "How do you usually deal with it?"

Aioka lifted a shoulder, her blush intensifying a little. "Last time, I had my Tou-san around to talk me through it. I was thirteen," she explained quickly when she thought about how her statement could seem like she relied on her father a lot...or maybe she was overthinking her words again.

Iruka couldn't help the bemused chuckle that escaped him when Aioka covered her reddening face. This behaviour was completely different than what he had experienced at Naruto's place. Where did that well spoken, confident woman go?

A muffled voice came from behind the woman's hands, causing Iruka to chuckle again. "Say again, Aioka-san?"

The woman lowered her hands but kept her head down. "I'm sorry. I'm really, _really_ not used to talking to people outside of a work situation."

"Don't have any girl friends to hang out with?" Izumo asked, vastly amused by the range of moods the woman was going through. However, he was not prepared for the negative shake of the Genin's head. "What? Why not?"

The woman gave him a glower, which was mostly ineffective because of her blush. "Because this," she motioned to herself, "happens."

Iruka was confused. "You seemed fine when we had dinner with Naruto."

Izumo and Kotetsu exchanged glances. Iruka took Aioka out to dinner with Naruto?

Aioka sighed. "We weren't focusing on me. That was about you and Naruto and I was just there as moral support."

Kotetsu leaned forward with a cheshire grin, deciding a change of topic was needed before the woman retreated from them. "So, what's this about Iruka taking you out to dinner?"

Iruka gave an indignant yelp at the change of subject but was pleased that Aioka seemed to relax from the gradual defensiveness his statement had caused.

"Do you need to tell me something, Iruka-san? I was under the impression Naruto invited us."

The woman's eyes twinkled with amusement, yet tension returned once her words were out. Was that too familiar? Would they take that wrong?

"Ohh, I like you Aioka-san." Izumo grinned, surprised by the woman's forwardness but pleased all the same.

"But seriously," Kotetsu cut in before his friend, and Chunin partner, could make further digs at Iruka. "You guys had dinner together?"

"Naruto wanted to have a family dinner. Since he considers me his nee-chan, and Iruka-san his nii-san, it was just us three," Aioka clarified.

"So no dating in the future?" Kotetsus grinned. Just because he would stop Izumo, didn't mean he wouldn't throw out his own digs.

Iruka grimaced. His friends were horrible. But they were doing well with distracting Aioka. The woman was horribly awkward interacting with them, constantly second guessing her words, but gradually started to relax when she wasn't rejected. Teased-oh yes, Izumo and Kotetsu teased both of them at every turn-but never rejected for her insecurities. It was incredibly interesting to see which topics induced confidence or uncertainty into her posture. Anything work related, or about other people, she was relaxed and easy; turn it back on her, and her opinions, she got uncertain. At first he thought she was trying to hide something about herself, but soon realized she genuinely did not know how to talk about herself. Almost as if she never had.

"Aioka-san, may I ask you something?" Iruka cut off Izumo from saying something potentially crude-the man had begun to poke at what topics were absolutely off limits to the woman and it was starting to get inappropriate.

For her part, Aioka took everything with good humour. After several hours of exposure to the three of them, she had a better grasp of what was acceptable. This was very nice.

"Of course." She got the feeling the Academy Sensei was about to ask something a little more personal to her than everything else that had been thrown at her, and braced herself accordingly.

"Have you ever simply talked like this before?"

Kotetsu and Izumo looked at their friend in surprise. Iruka was not usually that blunt or forward. Sure, they had been poking at the woman with some fairly out-there questions, but they had kept the inquires mostly impersonal.

Aioka pressed her lips together, inhaled, and sighed heavily. "No, Iruka-san."

The lack of friendships hadn't bothered her until recently. She was too busy with her Corp and teaching Naruto to be lonely. When she had been stressed out she would go visit her family in the Nara Compound, but that wasn't enough any more. She was lonely.

Glancing at the three men, Aioka felt a longing for more times like this; where she could simply sit and laugh, and tease. Times where she could just be Aioka and not anything, or anyone, else.

"Well, that isn't going to fly."Aioka started and leaned back when Izumo leaned across the table to put a finger in her face. "You are going to hang out with us and we will drag you if we must."

The other two nodded firmly, smiles on their faces when she stared at them in bewilderment.

"Okay?"

Iruka laughed out right at her astonished expression. "It's getting late, let me walk you home, Aioka-san."

Mildly confused over what had just happened Aioka paid her tab and followed obediently. Outside Izumo and Kotetsu said farewell, reminding Aioka that they would hunt her out if she didn't come find them soon.

"What just happened?"

Iruka smiled at the very confused tone his new friend used. "You just made some friends, Aioka-san."

Aioka reviewed her day as they walked. Wondering how she had went from surviving a meeting the Hokage to making friends. In the end she shrugged and enjoyed the silence between her and Iruka. Today had been a good day.


	11. Life Goes On

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I use ideas from _Deja vu no Jutsu_ and _Inoue Shiori_ with the author's permission.

 **Beta'ed by Kyrie Twilight**

 **A/N:** It's late, I know. I'm very sorry!

* * *

 **Life Goes On**

With her worry over the Hokage's reaction to her Corp assuaged, Aioka focused on giving her chosen teams extra training and field experience.

The first team consisted of Noki, Deidre, and Kei, whose primary sensei was Aioka. The second team was an older cell, consisting of two shinobi and a kunoichi in their mid twenties: Shoku Gan, Azurichi Chojuro, and Nokomu primary sensei was Shigako Duzo, who was the Lieutenant of the Enforcers and Aioka's Second.

Duzo's team were active Enforcers who, unsurprisingly, had an emphasis on intel gathering but were an effective tracking/retrieval team if necessary. Granted, Team Duzo had little practical experience with tracking and retrieving, beyond lost-pet missions, but they had completed more of those D-rank missions than any other Genin team (Jonin-track or Career). Aioka was doing her best to get them C-Ranks that called for their types of skills.

Aioka's team was far more diverse in their skill sets. Between Noki's genjutsu/speed, Deidre's strength/ninjutsu, and Kei's taijutsu/weapons, the three could tackle any mission type thrown at them. However, all three prefered combat roles over any other.

Aioka had each team rotate through her Lieutenant's to find holes in their training and brush up any skills the Chunin hopefuls could be better in. This special attention would not be offered to future teams, Aioka had made that abundantly clear when she made the announcement about the Hokage's verdict. If they won the privilege to join future Exams, Aioka promised to introduce programs to further help Career Genin prepare for Chunin.

When Aioka wasn't training Team Duzo and Team Aioka, she was performing her other duties and getting hauled around by her new friends.

The first time the three had sought her out at the HQ, Aioka had been in a meeting with her Lieutenant of Scheduling, Arabai Hitomi, to accommodate the Chunin hopeful's need for more C-Ranks. The Corp had a number of Trainer/Scout teams on standby for whenever the Mission Desk received missions that didn't require fully Chunin teams. Missive Runners were sent to the Corp to order a Genin team to meet wherever the leading shinobi wanted. Based on what the Runner knew of the mission, Hitomi would pick the Genin team best suited for the job.

The missions usually consisted of supply runs to Hi no Kuni's border outposts, missives to dropbox points for domestic spies, or an occasional escort of some civilian to somewhere within Hi no Kuni's borders. Career Genin never crossed borders into another nation: Simply because, traditionally, Career Genin did not have the skill sets required to function successfully in a foreign nation. Aioka did not want to change that either. Career Genin were meant to strictly operate within Hi no kuni; if her Corps wasn't satisfied with that, then they needed to move on to Chunin.

Aioka described all of that to her new friends when explaining what she had been doing. The baffled expressions the three Chunin bore amused her. For the rest of the day, she happily gave them a tour of her HQ after double checking with her Lieutenants to make sure they didn't need her. Said Lieutenants had all but kicked her out of their offices in reply. Apparently, they thought she worked too much.

A couple days after giving her friends a tour, several other Chunin (and some Jonin) popped into the HQ to look around. Aioka had even spotted the owners of the ANBU signatures that had been wandering the HQ before the Hokage had summoned her. Fortunately, most of the visiting shinobi didn't cause too much distraction, though more than one Enforcer had to firmly redirect nosy shinobi from the Record's Hall. Just because they had tolerated ANBU poking around those files did not mean every Rin and Ko needed to be looking through the private lives of Konoha's civilians.

The files were guarded by as many security measures as the Corp could invent. Naruto helpfully tested them whenever he felt like it and made suggestions when he found holes. Aioka wished she could get a hold of a fuinjutsu user to seal the rooms. It made her uncomfortable that such sensitive information wasn't better protected. If Naruto could get into it, a foreign nin could too. A few of her Lieutenants got exasperated by her paranoia about the Record Hall, but she would rather be annoying and keep Konoha's people safe than lax and let them suffer. That was why her Lieutenants had been baffled by her allowing the ANBU to go unchallenged a few days ago. However, they relaxed when she ordered for them to figure out means to seal up the hole the ANBU had been kind enough to show them.

With the Chunin Exams coming up, Aioka spent most of her days in meetings with her Lieutenants coming up with schedules for increased security and showing Duzo the ropes he needed to know in order to cover for her absence during the Exam itself.

Aioka took pains to train each of her Lieutenants for the possibility that one of them would need to take her place. She had no plans of giving up her position any time soon, but she was a shinobi and any day could be her last, even if she rarely left the village. She was not unaware of the political danger she could be (would be) in now that the Hokage was becoming more aware of her and her doings. She was actually surprised that he seemed to be keeping everything under wraps. She hadn't sensed any more ANBU or other shadows wandering her Corp since the first two. Now, they all came openly.

Once the training, and mission, schedules for the Chunin hopeful's were complete, Aioka returned to her office and made a Kage Bunshin to finish her paperwork; she was late for a late lunch with her friends.

The Bunshin gave her a scowl and shooed her out. "One of these days, one of us is going to ignore you and make you do the paperwork while we go gallivant around with the handsome Chunin."

Aioka laughed outright; she wouldn't put it past herself to do such a thing. "But not today. Please keep an eye on the time, I'll make sure I'm home by ten." Last time she left her Bunshin unattended with paperwork, it had lost track of time and hadn't dispelled until well after midnight. The resulting memory surge had ripped Aioka from sleep and into a writhing mess of agony. How she had managed to get to the Nara Compound was a mystery to her. The iryo-nin who had tended to her told her she had caused minor hemorrhaging of the brain. Shikoru had managed to evade answering exactly what Aioka had done to cause the damage but had assured the nurse Aioka would not be doing it ever again. The training from the _pits_ Shikoru had put her through (once she recovered of course) ensured she learned that lesson. Shikoru had commented later that, that was the second time she had infuriated a Nara and survived; she shouldn't try for a third.

Nara's were _terrifying_.

"Hai, Hai. Now shoo."

Aioka scowled at the door her Bunshin shoved her out of. If she hadn't interacted with Naruto's Kage Bunshin, she would think she was doing the Jutsu wrong and giving her Bunshin too much personality, but the blonde's Bunshin treated their original the same as hers did to herself.

Rolling her eyes at her wandering thoughts, she made her way out of the HQ and directed people to her Bunshin if they had any need of her.

Since they had calmed her down nearly three weeks ago, Aioka and her new friends met up a couple times a week for a meal. Sometimes it was just Iruka, other times it was both (or one) of the Eternal Gate Guards, or any possible combination of the three. Aioka was the only one that consistently showed up since she had the most control over her schedule. Today, the meeting place was a teahouse near the Hyuga Compound (Iruka's pick).

A surprised grin stole over her face when a series of signatures came in range. Team 7 was back. She had been getting worried.

Her mood further lightened, Aioka all but bounced into the teahouse and joined her friends at a traditional table. The three men eyed her expression but didn't question it; they were experienced enough with women to not question the cat-got-the-canary grin when it appeared.

"Stop that, you look like you're plotting someone's death."

Aioka purposefully turned her grin on Izumo, causing the man to shudder dramatically. Laughing, she softened her expression to something less maniacal. Who knew she could be so...weird when she allowed herself to relax?

"Glad you could make it, Izumo-san. Are you ribs better?"

The bandanna wearing Chunin stretched leisurely, showing full movement of his torso. "Yep, iryo-nin are awesome." He had busted several ribs on a mission last week and hadn't been able to make any of their get togethers.

"Only when they're cute and have curves," Kotetsu tacked on knowingly.

Aioka and Iruka rolled their eyes in sync, earning teasing grins from their companions and comments about being married.

Izumo and Kotetsu had quickly decided she and Iruka would make a good couple, and were constantly teasing the two. For their part, Aioka and Iruka had silently agreed they wouldn't be anything more than friends.

Could they have made a relationship work? Undoubtedly. But it would have been too comfortable and friendly rather than loving. Aioka had thought about it long and hard when it first came up but, in the end, decided she didn't want to settle for comfortable. Maybe if they were still unattatched in ten years she would be more interested.

"Have you heard anything about Team 7, Aioka-san?"

Aioka pulled herself out of thoughts about the host who had performed the ceremony. She did not know Udonahara Michi well but the older woman seemed happier than usual. Perhaps the woman had met someone? She would have to look into it later.

"Aa, heard? No. But I did sense them on my way here. I think they were headed for the Hokage Tower."

Iruka and the other two blinked. Sensed?

"You're a Sensor?" Iruka quaried.

Sensors (people who could identify people by chakra signatures beyond twenty feet) were not common.

Aioka shrugged. "Yes. I Sense Jonin and Kage leveled chakra sources the easiest." Which was true. Misdirection was so lovely.

"Huh. How far is your range?"

Aioka shrugged. "Far enough."

The Chunin backed off. They weren't familiar enough with each other to push for answers about each other's shinobi skills. That would have to wait until they sparred a few times. A short while later, the four said goodbye. It was getting close to dinner time.

 **A:CG**

Naruto stretched as he and his teammate's left the Hokage Tower. He was glad that was over with; he wanted to see his nee-chan. He had so much he wanted to tell her. Needed to tell her.

The whole mission had thrown him for a loop. His indecision about his mask had nearly killed his teammates during the first confrontation with the Demon of the Mist: which had led to a very unpleasant realization about the gaps in his teammates education. The two hadn't recognized the ruse of the false Hunter-nin, nor that Kakashi had strategically let the nuke-nin go due to chakra depletion. When Kakashi had woken and pointed out that Naruto had been nudging his teammates (manipulating, Sasuke had accused) into following protocols they should have known, Sasuke had upped his antagonization in an effort to draw out Naruto's true strength. Between the Uchiha's baiting, Sakura's belittling, and Inari's ignorance, Naruto had snapped and had left to release his pent up agitation. The Kyubi's taunting whispers hadn't helped his temper any either.

Meeting Haku had allowed him to safely vent (in that moment he hadn't cared that the other was an enemy). The other boy had listened patiently and led Naruto to reevaluate his reasons for being a shinobi. Before that day, Naruto had no clear reason to fight other than it was what his role models did (e.i. Aioka, Jiji, and the Yondaime). That meeting was bittersweet because, in the end, the gentle boy gave his life for a man who was unwilling to voice his love until it was too late. Naruto vowed he would never let anyone he cared about not know his love for them. That included his thick headed teammates.

"Let's have dinner together."

Sasuke and Sakura looked at their blonde teammate curiously. Sometime during the mission, both had come to the realization that Naruto wasn't all he had appeared to be.

"I don't know, Baka," Sakura started, the name lacking the usual bite, "my parents will probably want me home for now. It's been a month."

Sakura wasn't sure what Naruto was hiding, but she could acknowledge that it was only because he had sent clones to help her guard Tazuna that she was even alive. That had been a bitter pill to swallow. She would try to look pass his stupidity, but she couldn't help that he still irritated her when he acted better than Sasuke-kun.

Naruto blinked and smiled sheepishly, he had forgotten that Sakura wasn't an orphan. "I was hoping to cook for you guys."

The weird looks he got made him laugh. "I _can_ cook. Ramen isn't as much of my diet as it seems," he assured. The skeptical looks they gave him earned them a scowl. "Really!"

"Whatever, Dobe," Sasuke smirked when the boy played up his indignation further.

Sakura shook her head at the boy's antics, pushing down the impulse to agree with Sasuke-kun. "Really, Naruto, I don't think my parents will let me go tonight. How about tomorrow?"

Naruto stepped back from glaring into Sasuke's face with a cheerful grin. "Sure, I'll have a clone meet you guys at the bridge to lead you to my place around five."

Sakura turned to Sasuke, a request for him to walk her home on her lips but instead she bit her lip, smiled, and ran off, leaving the two boys alone.

For a moment the two stared after her curiously and wondering what that was about.

"Offer is still there, Sasuke," Naruto reiterated, relaxing into a slouch reminiscent of their sensei.

Sasuke stared after Sakura's retreating figure. Since Kakashi had pointed out that Naruto had been orchestrating his and Sakura's decisions, he had been watching Naruto far more closely than he had previously. In the academy, he had been quick to dismiss the blonde knucklehead, but Naruto hadn't let him. The blonde had been persistent in grabbing his attention, time after time. Sasuke was slowly coming to the realization that Naruto had been one of the things that had kept him sane after That Day. Naruto was a source of normalcy in the midst of abrupt change, and the only person that had not treated him any different than before. Now the blonde was showing Sasuke a glimpse of the shinobi the Uchiha hadn't known existed beneath the idiocy. Sometimes, the Blonde would subtly taunt him with the knowledge that he had secrets (Sasuke recalled other times he had dismissed slips of skill from the blonde) and was daring him to attempt to figure them out.

He would figure them out, but not today. Today he wanted to visit his family's shrine and tell them about his mission. It had been a long time since he had tended to the monument. So he voiced a promise, "Tomorrow, Dobe."

Naruto accepted that with a small smile. "See you then... Sasuke."

Startled, Sasuke turned and watched Naruto dart away. That was the first time the other boy had ever said his name without the customary -teme.

* * *

 **A/N:** Short, I know. This chapter fought me every inch of the way. Not sure who won. Me or the chapter =P


	12. Decisions

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I use ideas from _Deja vu no Jutsu_ and _Inoue Shiori_ with the author's permission.

 **A/N:** Warning! This chapter is not edited! 3/26

* * *

 **Decisions**

While his students made their way to their respective homes, Kakashi waited for the Professor to comment on the in depth report he had given once the Genin left.

The mission had left Kakashi with mixed feelings: On one hand, he was pleased with how his team was finally starting to get along, but on the other, he was shaken at how close he had come to losing them. He needed to step up his training to avoid the mistakes he had made. He did not need his Hokage to scold him for allowing himself to fall victim of chakra exhaustion with Genin to protect; he was already planning on let Gai plan his training regime for the next week. Kakashi was dreading the Manly Tears of Youth, his green clad friend would shed at the request.

Naruto's behaviour was also concerning. The boy had drawn on the Kyubi's chakra with far too much familiarity and control for the Jonin's comfort.

He would corner Naruto's mentor, as soon as his Hokage let him go, and find out exactly _what_ that woman had taught the boy..

Speaking of which, he still needed to give his recommendation for Aioka's team.

"Thank you Kakashi-kun," Hiruzen sighed, mentally making a note to watch Naruto more closely. It disturbed him that Kakashi mentioned Naruto's mask. He had never suspected the rambunctious blonde of having one.

Kakashi relaxed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Of course. Do you need anything else, Hokage-sama?"

"No."

"Hmm, I have a recommendation to make for the Exams."

Hiruzen blinked. It had been quite some time since Kakashi had recommended anyone for advancement. "Oh?"

"Hai. A team of Career Genin led by one Shojikina Aioka. Naruto introduced them and requested a spar before we left for Wave." Kakashi straightened when his Hokage focus intensified.

"Explain."

Kakashi did, curious about that reaction. What had Aioka-san done to get the Hokage's attention? Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be negative attention. Which was good. He would hate to get between her and Naruto. Naruto viewed the older Genin as a mentor/mother/sister figure if he read the boy's reactions right when he had watched the two interact before the Wave mission.

Hiruzen was concerned by what he was hearing. Ever since he had discovered Naruto had been thrown out of the orphanage at six, he had made time to see the son of his successor (and predecessor). The boy had shared everything with him during those visits; no matter how small the detail was, the lonely boy had shared every moment that had passed since the last time the two had seen each other. It was shocking to find that Naruto had hid something from him.

Something cold and bitter settled in the old man's chest. It hurt that the boy hid this from him, and made him afraid of the reasons for such secrecy.

"I was unaware that Naruto knew Shojikina-san. What is your opinion of her?"

"She's a good Kunoichi and a better sensei. From what I was able figure out, she has some clout in the Genin Corp: I witnessed her giving orders on various matters in their HQ and receiving reports from other Career Genin. Naruto trains with her daily when in the village and seems to live with her. She calls Jonin Nara Shikoru Tou-san and seems to be accepted as such by him. She is not intimidated by rank. I requested that she join Naruto at the next Team 7 meeting she was available for. She did not go out of her way to fulfil my request, rather, she seemed to genuinely be unavailable." Kakashi paused to show his bemusement. "That was the first time anyone has ignored an invitation to train with a team of mine."

Hiruzen smiled distractedly at that. It seemed he had not looked into the faux Genin Commander close enough. He had not been aware she had such close ties with the Nara clan or with Naruto. That would not do.

"Report to Ibiki and get briefed on Shojikina Aioka. I want you to find out what her exact relationship with Naruto and the Nara's is. How you choose to go about it, I leave to your discretion. I would prefer to avoid violence but am not opposed to it if you feel it necessary."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

Kakashi's mind raced as he made his way to Ibiki's office. What had happened while he was gone?

 **A:CG**

"Tadaime, Aioka-nee!"

Aioka laughed as the blonde blur tackled her. "Welcome home!"

Naruto gleefully lifted his mentor off her feet and tightened his hug, laughing when Aioka gasped and batted at his back. "Yes, yes; you are the super strong Uzumaki Naruto! Now put me down, gaki."

Grinning, the teen set her down. "Miss me?"

"Always, Kit," Aioka reassured with a fond grin and ruffle of blonde hair. "I have left over's warming up. Go clean up."

Naruto obeyed eagerly. He had _missed_ Aioka's cooking. Inari's mom wasn't a bad cook, but Aioka was taught by an Akimichi.

While clones restocked his mission pack and cleaned and sharpened his weapons, Naruto showered and took his dirty laundry to the washroom. Hopefully his nee-chan would wait until they finished eating before questioning him. It wasn't exactly a discussion he wanted to give over a meal. Meal times weren't meant for seriousness in his opinion.

Pulling on an orange sleeveless shirt, Naruto eagerly followed his nose to the kitchen and set the table.

"Smells awesome, nee-chan!"

Aioka grinned at the blonde, vastly amused by the way the teen swallowed to prevent drool from escaping. "Thanks. Now eat before you drown."

With a sheepish grin, Naruto called out a customary 'itadakimasu' before digging in with gusto and asking what he had missed while he was gone.

Having ate not too long ago with her friends, Aioka spent most of her meal talking: filling the blonde in on what had happened.

Naruto listened intently; tensing on occasion when he recognized how badly things could have gone for his nee-chan, and beaming when he learned she and Iruka were friends. He had hoped those two would get along.

"Sensei gave me and my team the next couple days off. Do you think we could come watch your teams train?"

Aioka shrugged her acceptance but looked at him quizzically. "Rough mission?" C-Ranks didn't usually require more than a day to recover from; month long ones or not.

Naruto sighed and looked at his empty plate. "Yeah. I," he clenched his chopsticks, "I could've got my teammates killed, nee-chan. I was too indecisive about leading. If I hadn't been so selfish, Haku might still be alive."

Aioka stilled as she reached to start clearing the table, feeling her ward's agony ripple through her senses, and wondered how someone had managed to die on such a low-risk mission. One of her Genin had been nearby when Team 7 received the mission and had thoughtfully informed Aioka of the details he had overheard. How had a C-rank escort mission led to the death of someone Naruto had befriended?

"The dishes can wait. Let's move to the living room," Aioka directed, retracting her reaching hand and standing.

Naruto obeyed, weariness that went beyond physical exhaustion weighing the air around them with bitter tension. With a fortifying breath, Naruto related the events that led to Haku's death. His tone only relaxing once he told of his teammate's responses to his dinner invitation.

Aioka settled an arm around his shoulders when he finished speaking. "Learning when to drop your facade isn't something I can teach you, Naruto," the woman began. "I can't go with you on missions and give you some signal. It will come with experience."

Naruto grimaced but acknowledged the truth in her words. He had already known this, but it was good to hear it.

"Also," Aioka continued, ruffling his hair fondly, "it will be easier once you extend some trust to your teammates."

Naruto batted halfheartedly at the offending hand. "Mah, I'm trying now aren't I?"

Copper eyes rolled. "I suppose late is better than never," she agreed wryly. For a moment they sat quietly, simply enjoying each others company. "Have you decided?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed in confusion and then relaxed into a frown. "No, not really."

Aioka accepted that and dropped a kiss on his hair. "Come on, those dishes won't wash themselves."

Decisions about trusting the Hokage and Teammates were set aside as the two cleared the table. There was plenty of time to choose how to approach them.

 **A:CG**

Aioka looked down at the two Genin in her entryway, amused by the open bewilderment on the face of the kunoichi of Team 7 and the puzzlement hidden in the depth of the eyes of Naruto's opposite.

"Welcome to our home, Uchiha-san, Haruno-san, please come in."

The younger Kunoichi blushed, quickly bowing and thanking her demurely; showing Aioka that the girl's parents were ensuring the child didn't forget civilian manners. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, as it would help the girl interact with clients in the future, but it would lead other shinobi and kunoichi to view her as incompetent.

Kunoichi, far more than Shinobi, had many faces they must maintain with people. There were many unspoken rules of conduct that they must know: Kunoichi to kunoichi, kunochi to shinobi, and kunoichi to civilians. Each social interaction had its own code of conduct. Codes that Aioka saw falling into obscurity as the years past, and causing tension in the older kunoichi whenever faced with their younger counterparts. Aioka made a note to ask Iruka about the kunoichi classes at the Academy and point out the gaps she was seeing.

The Uchiha hesitated a moment but eventually gave her a shallow bow, politely gazing beyond her rather than meeting her gaze. Aioka was surprised by the respect the doujutsu user was showing her. Many people avoided the gazes of doujutsu users and the Yamanaka, so, as a sign of courtesy, those clans did not initiate eye contact with a person they were amiable to getting to know. Granted, the Yamanaka's were generally the only ones that were courteous enough to follow this social rule consistently. The Uchiha and Hyuga were arrogant, and only their most humble clan members did this.

Aioka smiled and caught the Uchiha's gaze and offered a hand. The onyx eyed boy's gaze widened fractionally at the gesture but accepted the clasp of forearms. It was a way Uchiha Officers had greeted each other before the Massacre.

For her part, Sakura looked confused by the silent by play.

"Come, Naruto is laying out dinner. If you need to wash up, the bathroom is the door is on the left," Aioka commented, motioning down a short hall on the other side of the living room.

The two Genin declined and followed her into the kitchen where they promptly paused to stare at their third teammate. Naruto had chosen to drop his public henge.

Sakura gaped. "Naruto?"

Sasuke was equally surprised but hid it behind an assessing stare. The blonde was no longer the shortest on the team and was far more built than either had ever suspected.

Clad in casual cargo pants and a dark orange shirt, Naruto flashed his teammates a relaxed smile.

"Hey, guys. Ready to eat?"

"Why are you wearing a henge?" Sakura flushed as three pairs of eyes turned to her: two amused and the third blank.

"I'm not. I usually use henge when I'm in public," Naruto answered, smiling at his kunoichi teammate. "Come on, sit. Me and Nee-chan will sit at the ends."

The four situated themselves and dug in at Naruto's urging.

"This is really good," Sakura said with honest surprise.

Naruto grinned when Sasuke grunted between bites of a tomato based dish, "Thanks, Aioka-nee started teach me five years ago."

Sakura frowned around some tempura (it didn't escape her notice that Naruto had fixed her and Sasuke's favorite dishes). "I don't remember you mentioning it before." In fact, she couldn't think of a time that Naruto ever mentioned knowing Shojikina-san before the spar with that older Genin team. Until a week ago, Sakura hadn't believed the blonde to be capable of dressing properly, let alone hide an alter ego. "How did you meet?"

Aioka answered. "Two Recruits were antagonizing him and I intervened. I've been mentoring him ever since.

"You taught him tree walking," Sasuke stated. Studying the woman who had taught the Genin team that had humiliated him and his teammates before the Wave mission.

Aioka nodded. "Yes, among other things."

"Sensei had Naruto teach us while we were in Wave," Sakura piped up, absently wondering what a Recruit was. She couldn't recall learning about that rank in the Academy.

Naruto flushed when Aioka looked at him, he had neglected to mention that. "They did really good. Sakura-chan made it to the top of her tree on her first try and Sasuke-teme got it in two days. He would have taken longer though; he was almost as bad as I was on my second day."

Aioka blinked then smiled. Naruto's second day had him blowing bark off trees. The first day he had been blowing holes clear through them. "That's impressive. You both are very impressive to manage that."

Sasuke frowned. "It took me two days." That was not as impressive as Sakura's first try.

"On average it takes a week to be able to walk on vertical surfaces reliably," Aioka explained, easily falling into the familiar lecture. "As a rule, the larger a person's chakra reserves, the longer it takes to learn. However, it is very rare for anyone, no matter how small their reserves, to manage tree walking on their first try.

"While Sakura seems to have excellent control, it also means she has very small reserves. You, on the other hand, have larger reserves and less control: which means you will need to practice if you ever want to master any of your techniques."

"How long did it take you, Naruto?" Sakura asked, leaning forward a bit and expecting exaggerated boasts, but was bemused by the blonde's shrug and deflection.

"Longer than you guys. Have you guys been to the Genin Corp HQ before? I usually train over there whenever I can."

The conversation veered away from comparison between Naruto and his teammate's control, to the Genin Corp and its duties. Aioka shooed the three to the living room when it was clear they were done eating, and began cleaning up. When she joined them again, Sakura instantly turned to her for confirmation of Naruto's claims about the Genin Corp.

"Come to the HQ tomorrow and see for yourself, Haruno-san," Aioka invited. "It's good to see for yourself rather than trusting someone at their word all the time."

Sakura blinked at the mixed challenge and rebuke, wondering what it was that the older kunoichi seemed to have against her. She wasn't used to adults treating her the way Shojikina-san did. The woman was friendly yet there was alway some unnamed _expectation_ in the woman's posture whenever Sakura interacted with her. Adults had always been charmed by her politeness and readily accepted her. Shojikina-san, on the other hand, was not. Sakura could recall a time when the woman did not have that strange expectation of her, but that was before she joined the academy. Startled by the thought, Sakura zoned out trying to puzzle out what the Academy had to do with the older kunoichi's behavior. Shouldn't Shojikina-san treat her more familiarly _because_ she was kunoichi now too?

"I will be training a couple of my older teams around 5am. Both of you are more than welcome to come watch. Naruto can give you a tour afterwards and then the three of you can make use of the training hall if you wish."

Sasuke's interest was visible. "What will you be drilling them in?"

Aioka smirked. "Come and see."

The boy scowled but it lacked a certain heat he usually directed at people who teased him. "Fine."

Shojikina Aioka interested the young Uchiha. When he had first met her and her team, he had dismissed her as he had dismissed anyone who he found useless. How would people almost twice his age make him stronger when they were still Genin? The spar had quickly disillusioned him of his superiority. At the time he had been in disbelief that the three shinobi he had faced were Genin. He had never faced anyone in the Academy who beat him in a spar (student or sensei). Since _That Day_ , Sasuke had never lost a spar until the Bell Test. Losing to Career Genin had been a major blow to his pride but the way Aioka-san had taught the individual spars interested him. It was challenging. When Kakashi adopted the method, it proved to Sasuke that there was something different about the Career Genin and he was eager to learn what it was.

Naruto grinned. "Great! Neh, Sakura-chan, are you going to go?"

"What?" Sakura startled, jerking from her thoughts with a confused blink.

"Are you coming with the Teme and me in the morning?"

"What time and where are we meeting?" She wouldn't pass up more time with Sasuke.

"5am, outside Ichiraku's."

Sakura mentally cringed at the time. She would have to get up at 4am to get ready. "Okay."

Aioka smiled when Naruto cheered and glanced at the time. "It's getting late you three."  
Naruto checked the time and nodded his agreement. "Thanks for coming over guys. Would you like me to walk you home Sakura-chan?"

Aioka left Naruto to see his teammates out and returned to the kitchen to put the dishes away. The night had gone well. Whether or not it was because of her presence, Aioka didn't know, but she was pleased that there hadn't been any arguments.

There were many things she wanted to bring up with their Sensei though. Mainly about Sakura. The girl desperately needed a solid kunoichi role model.

The Uchiha was already coming around. There was more contemplation in the boy's eyes then there had been before the Wave mission. She was looking forward to seeing how the two responded to seeing how her Corp acted.

* * *

 **A/N:** This chapter is all my fault. My beta is on vacation and I got impatient, so blame me for any mistakes! I am very irritated at myself for being tardy for two updates in a row and didn't want a third. I will upload the edited version as soon as it's done, so check back in on this chapter periodically.

 **Reviewers** : Wow. Guys, thank you so much for your encouragements and praises! 80 Reviews, 94 followers, and 64 favorites. It really boggles my mind that so many people are reading this story.

Many of you are wondering when Aioka is going to be formally acknowledged as Genin Commander. Patience. I have a plan for that and I'm really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it ;)

 **To the Guest who asked about crossovers** : I don't think I could do justice to a crossover between _Deja vu_ and _Inoue Shiori_. For A:CG I'm using elements from each story. In chapter 1 I based Aioka's immigration interrogation off of the one in _Inoue Shiori_ , I am also using Hermionechan90's take on chakra signatures as inspiration for how it is used in A:CG. _Deja vu_ 's chapter 4 is the culprit for inspiring this entire story.


	13. Hiatus Notice

A:CG is still alive, don't worry.

A lot has happened since my last post. I moved, started training horses, hit a roadblock in story, and **Kyrie Twilight** had to step down from beta-ing for me.

I and **Shikayna** (an awesome reviewer turned beta) are in the process of giving A:CG a major overhaul. My goal is to complete ten chapters before I start reposting. I don't know how long it will take us so please keep a look out for the revised version. A new chapter will be posted on this A:CG to let readers know when the new version is up.

Thank you all for your support and patience!

Uncertain-Angel


	14. Rewrite is up!

Rewrite is up people! Go to my bio or search _Aioka: A Career Genin_ to check it out.

Uncertain-Angel


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